Legend Redux
by Split Infinitive
Summary: Ganondorf Dragmire has triumphed. With the Triforce, his most dearest wish is granted. There's no-one left in his way...except perhaps a young Kokiri girl and a strange, time-travelling wanderer. But are things really as straightforward as they appear..?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Nintendo. Legend of Zelda. Theirs. Not mine. All other properties referenced belong to their respective owners.

**Legend Redux**

**1. Prologue: From Hell's Heart**

The ringing slap sent her flying to the ground. Head spinning, Zelda pulled herself up onto her knees. _Tossed aside, _she thought._ Like filth. _Not a feeling a princess like her was accustomed to. She drew her arms together and let out a deep breath. The burnt air shimmered and her dress, torn and tattered, clung to her dirt-stricken skin. She looked up.

The castle was a living nightmare. _Her_ castle. Crooked fractures webbed the castle's walls and floors, spilling blistered orange light out into the inky gloom. No. Not her castle anymore. His. Framed in the angry molten glow stood Ganondorf Dragmire, sword hanging from one hand. Waiting.

Zelda cocked her head to one side. Somewhere in the castle a scream tore free from the depths, rising and rising in pitch until it morphed into an inhuman howl. And as quickly as it began, it vanished, snuffed out with a choked gurgle. The princess shivered. She didn't want to think about that. Dragmire, eyes and cape black like liquid night, didn't even flinch. _Why would he? _

A crimson stain blossomed under the knee of Zelda's skirt. Despite the leaden ache weighing down her limbs, the princess knew the blood wasn't hers. The snaking trail of scarlet ran from the left, where it sizzled when it touched the edge of the burning fissures, and stopped at last at the yawning wound adorning the prone form of the Legendary Hero. His cold fingers rested upon the splintered, pale remains of the Ocarina of Time. Link's head, blank eyes staring and mouth stretched in a thin line, lay somewhere nearby. Zelda _definitely _didn't want to think about _that. _Her heart would shatter.

And still the King of Thieves waited. Zelda glanced to the right. There, resting against the far wall, a strange oval structure weaved entirely of yellowed human bones framed a whirlpool of glowing, viscous lavender light. Chained to the foot of the monstrosity was Rauru, the Sage of Light. Face marred with angry welts, rusted manacles biting grooves into his right wrist, it was the Sage's eyes that struck Zelda the most. They pierced her with an unblinking stare. Pleading.

With an inward surge, Princess Zelda rose trembling to her feet and met her usurper's onyx eyes. _No more._ If everything she'd been taught wasn't a lie, then she should surely triumph.

"Fight me," she spat. "With no sword, if you're man enough." She pressed her middle finger down onto her palm, felt the reassuring prick of the hidden knife still strapped to her right wrist. Shaking her arm with casual ease, her sweat-stiffened sleeve dropped further down over the weapon. "Hand to hand."

"Hand to hand?" Ganondorf's voice rolled like the reverberations of an ancient bell. "I believe I already have."

Zelda, her cheek still smarting, winced. "With no sword," she repeated.

Ganondorf's lip curled. "I'll snap you like a twig."

"So be it."

Twin black eyes flared with dark light. "So be it."

Zelda forced herself to stay still as she watched her usurper's sword clatter to the ground. Slowly Ganondorf began to edge closer, his hands raised, fingers half curled. Heart thudding, the princess felt every nerve in her body beg her to flee. She crushed the urge in an ice-cold grip. The Triforce of Courage and its bearer may have deserted her, but she didn't need either one.

Zelda's eyes widened as Ganondorf, a twisted grin hanging from his face, loomed larger and larger in her vision. _One chance. Just once chance. For everyone that's fallen. Hope must always triumph. _Trembling fingers touched the comfort of cold steel once more. Her lungs burned. With one last deep breath, she braced herself –

And reeled as she caught sight of the image reflected in the usurper's obsidian eyes. A withered mask of fatigue hung from a wounded visage, limp strands of dull hair curtaining eyes that floated within twin scarlet haloes. It took Zelda a stumbling heartbeat to realise that the broken young woman she beheld was her.

A heartbeat was all Ganondorf needed. He slid across the gap between himself and the princess, plunging a needle-thin dagger – hidden against his own wrist – into her chest.

Zelda's shocked eyes met his. They stood, locked together as though frozen. Then, with a grunt, the princess felt her gut clench. Another sharp twinge followed. She gasped. Violent spasms of pain began to wrack the entire length of her body. Froth churned in her mouth. Her lips opened. "Poison?"

Ganondorf leaned in closer, his mouth hovering near her ear, until Zelda felt the ice of his breath sear her skin. "It will be quick."

Was that pity in his voice? Zelda almost laughed. "Please…"

He responded with a short, sharp nod, then let the blade free with a liquid sigh. The Princess Zelda, the Sage of Wisdom, crumpled to the ground. Her body twitched once, twice, then was still evermore.

Ganondorf crouched and, with a gentle touch, closed the princess' eyes. His gaze lifted from the corpse, past the cracked remains of the floor and finally came to rest on the watery radiance cradled within the circle of bone. He stood and began to stride forwards.

"And then there was one." His eyes flicked towards Rauru, then gestured at the bizarre structure. "Do you know what this is, old man?" Ethereal azure light bathed Ganondorf's face. Rauru said nothing. "What's the matter? No words of wisdom to share? No profundities, no valuable life lessons?" Ganondorf snorted as the Sage stared back, defiant.

"This," he continued, letting his gloved palm come to rest on the grotesque surface, "is a portal. A window, if you will, into the universe. _All_ the universes. Who knew that there were so many? Certainly not you, old man; not you and your much vaunted 'wisdom.'" Ganondorf's lip twisted. "And in every single one, there he is, there she is, there _I _am. And in every single universe, _he _wins and I lose, _he _lives and I die, when he could have…" Something snapped deep inside him and his expression crumbled momentarily. It didn't last.

"Look!" Ganondorf barked. Images bobbed up and down on the pulsing light of the portal, gaining sharp clarity for a breath, then dissolving like the waves of the sea. "Look…in that universe, he's the Hero of Time. And then later, reborn, fighting the Twilight, then centuries on, a Royal Assassin, breaking the curse forever. And in that one – ha! - a Lord of Shadow. Every single time he wins, but not _here. _Not _now. _I am the only one who lives. I am the only one who stands victorious."

Rauru found his voice at last. "And how does that make you feel?"

The King of Thieves, neck stiff and head held high, peered down upon the Sage. "What are you babbling about, old fool?"

"Your feelings, Dragmire," Rauru replied, his voice hoarse. The air between them rippled. "Share them."

"I…" Ganondorf's brow creased. "Cold. Empty." His eyes turned inward. "This void. This gaping void. Will it ever be filled?"

Rauru swallowed. "This is what you seek…" He opened his free hand. A trio of spinning golden triangles floated up from his palm. "Is it not?"

The King of Thieves took a step back. "The Triforce! You! You had it all along!"

Rauru's voice strengthened. "And with it, by the leave of the Divine, you will be granted your dearest-"

"Mine!" Ganondorf's cape snapped the air like a whip as he snatched the Triforce from the Sage. "Mine."

"It is done," Rauru whispered, his head dropping. "I had no choice. Forgive me."

The King of Thieves brought his fist up to his face. He felt his heart begin to race, heard his breath quicken. For a moment it was the only sound in the world. Then, faint and frail, a scream echoed in the distance. A second followed. A third. More screams began to well up from deep within the castle, entwining with each other and ribboned with a mournful wail, tarred thick with despair.

Ganondorf closed his eyes and savoured the sweet taste in his mouth. "I can see…" he whispered. "I can see the scroll of the universe unfurled in front of my very eyes." Shafts of light burst through the gaps between his fingers. "I can see this universe…and I…will…**rewrite it!**"

Searing phosphorescent light exploded from where the King of Thieves stood, turning the whole world skeletal white. Ganondorf was consumed in a heartbeat, Rauru an instant later. The light grew and grew and grew. White turned to gold. The castle was subsumed, Hyrule followed it down until, at last, the whole of existence was annihilated in pure, golden light.


	2. The Girl Without a Fairy

**2. The Girl Without a Fairy**

Catching the Lesser Red-Warted Kokiri Toad required inner serenity, calm like Lake Hylia as dawn's fiery light crested its waves, and supreme patience, like that of the guardian of the mythical Forest Temple, waiting with unblinking eyes as year rolled into year, century into century, vines creeping around the rusted remains of his unmoving spear.

Zelda, perched upon a stumpy log with arms outstretched, currently had the inner peace of a rabid cucco dropped into the icy depths of Death Mountain and the patience of a forest monkey doused in fleas and chained to a wooden post.

She bit her lip and hissed. The toad stared back. She arched an eyebrow. There was a challenge in those baleful yellow toad eyes, she swore that there was. She saw mockery dancing there, with its partner contempt. Not strange in itself, since she'd been the brunt of both from since time began. Or at least that's how it felt, anyway. She didn't usually get it from the pond life, though.

Froth from the shallow brook churning under the log sprayed up onto her brown trousers, tainting the fabric dark with fat spots. Sunlight speckled her cheek and the leaves of the forest rustled as flakes of radiant fairy dust slowly pirouetted through the air and brushed against them. Zelda's cheek twitched. Too many distractions.

She took a step forward. The log trembled. Zelda bit her lip harder. The toad was unmoved. _Smug little –_

Something snapped beneath her. Her ankle cracked against the log as she tumbled in a tangle of limbs, the resultant splash into the stream terrifying a flock of birds that burst into a flurry of wings and flew high out of Kokiri Forest, squawking all the way.

_Great. They'll come running now._

Zelda sat in the water, her green tunic dripping, strands of hair plastered against her sour visage. The toad, unshaken by the spectacle, raised an eyebrow. Or he would have done, Zelda thought, if he'd had any.

"Zelda!" A mop of emerald hair emerged above her, alarmed. Eyes darted this way and that. A glowing orb hovered above the newcomer's head, spilling a trail of sparkling light in its wake. They hadn't all come running at all, then. Just Saria.

"Hey!" her friend persisted. "Are you alright?"

"Help me up, Saria," Zelda replied, raising a hand. Saria took her by the wrist and pulled her out. Zelda winced and glanced down at her ankle. Wasn't _too _bad.

They looked at each other for a moment. The glowing orb, a hint of shimmering wings from within, drew illuminated spirals in the air. Zelda knew a fairy when she saw one. All the Kokiri did.

"What were you up to?" Saria asked. Her eyes searched the stream, and her lips thinned as she spotted the Lesser Red-Warted Kokiri Toad. "Oh, why?" She sighed. "Why do you bother?"

"Because I'm bored," Zelda replied, brushing twigs and sticky sap from her tunic. "Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored." She stuck out her hand. "Hello, I'm Bored. And you are?"

"Don't be like that. I was just asking." Saria shaded her eyes from the sun with one hand, and then grinned. Zelda didn't like that grin. It looked suspicious. Saria saw her reaction and her grin widened.

"Go on," Zelda said, "what's happened, then?"

"Guess!"

Zelda paused. Excitement twinkled in her friend's eyes. Zelda's stomach fluttered. Butterflies. "What?"

"Guess! Oh, go on."

"Just _tell _me." She twitched. "Look. I had a…rough night."

"It's the Great Deku Tree!" Saria was almost jumping. "He wants to see you!"

The fluttering became a buzz. Zelda had to bite down on her tongue to stop it. She hated that feeling. Hated it because sometimes the butterflies were wrong. And it hurt when they were. Hurt a lot. "He…asked for me?"

"I'm so happy for you!" She engulfed Zelda in an impromptu hug. "You must know what _that_ means, right?" Saria must have seen the uncertainty lining Zelda's face. She tugged her arm and began to run. "Race you to the platform!"

"Hey…wait," Zelda said, stumbling. "My ankle…"

"Is _fine._ Come on!"

Zelda watched as Saria, glowing fairy in tow, flew through the forest, leaping over rotted tree stumps and ducking overhanging branches. Zelda smiled. Why not? Trust Saria to try to make her feel better, after all. After another heartbeat of hesitation, Zelda ploughed in after her.

They weaved this way and that, spinning just out of reach of yawning teeth-encrusted jaws, clods of mud flying from their boots, following a trail that only the Kokiri knew – a jagged mark gouged into a tree bark here, a mound of buried fairy dust glowing from the soil there. And though they were both the youngest of the Kokiri, they knew their way well. Seventeen years had passed since their birth, though they both looked only fourteen. Which wasn't an issue, Zelda knew. _All _the Kokiri looked fourteen.

Rounding a corner, Zelda saw Saria, still ahead, charging towards a felled trunk wedged between two standing trees. Her heart caught in her throat for a moment. _Great. Go over or under? _Saria, with a whoop of joy, snapped a glance over her shoulder, then drove one foot into the mud, arching her back as she slid under the obstruction, a crackling wave of green and brown leaves rising in her wake.

"Ha!" Zelda picked up speed, muscles and lungs burning. She reached the trunk in an instant and, at the very last moment, launched herself into the air, somersaulting over the dead tree, the sun glinting in her eyes. Her poor ankle protested the landing, but Zelda was beyond caring, a laugh flying free from her grinning face. She reached her friend a moment later, but – too late! – Saria was already climbing up onto the granite slab of the platform. Hooting, the two Kokiri collapsed in a heap.

Just in time, too. Hissing and clanking, the old engine rumbled into the clearing in a billowing cloud of steam. With a squeal of metal, the train came to a juddering halt in front of the platform. Saria pulled at the carriage door, and it opened with a creak. Zelda's nose twitched as a waft of varnish reached her. She smiled. Her heart bubbled.

"Wait!" The sharp voice rang out, making them both look up. "What's this here, eh?"

Zelda glanced at Saria. Recognition made her feelings curdle. "Mido."

Wiping his hands with a blackened cloth, the grease-stained engineer strode up to them with an imperious glint in his eyes. A buzzing red fairy followed behind, darting here and there. Mido looked from Zelda to Saria and then back again. Zelda knew what was coming.

"What's the fairyless freak doing getting on my train?"

"Leave it alone, Mido," Saria snapped. "She's not a freak. Grow up, will you?"

"Anyone who doesn't have a fairy is a freak. Everyone knows that. The Know-it-all-Brothers said so."

Zelda flinched as though she'd been physically struck. Now this was new. "They said that?" But they were always so kind to her…

Saria stepped in between the two of them. "They said no such thing." She held the engineer's glare, unblinking. "Deku wants to see her. And you're going to take us to him." Her eyes turned to flint. "Now."

"Deku? The Great Deku Tree?" He actually took a step backward, and Zelda had to hide her smile.

Saria remained stone-faced. Fairy dust swirled around them. "The Great Deku Tree."

Conflicting emotions churned on Mido's face. "Probably be telling you to leave, then. Get on." He cast one last spiteful look in Zelda's direction. "Mark my words; you'll be gone by the morning."

A chill draped itself around Zelda's heart. Her mouth worked, but she just couldn't find the words. And yet, within the turmoil there was a touch of something else, too. Something unexpected. Something like…relief…?

"Ignore him," Saria whispered.

Deciding Zelda unworthy of his attention Mido raised his head, then bellowed to no-one in particular: "Alllll abooooooooard!"

"Come on." Saria pulled Zelda up the steps and into the carriage.

A few moments later the train lurched, then began to chug its way down the tracks. Zelda pressed her hands hard against the window and watched the world as it hurtled by. "They talk about me?"

Saria sat herself down onto one of the plush ruby seats, then perched her feet up onto the opposing one. "_Hel-lo! _It's _Mido! _Stop taking him so seriously, Zelda." She flicked dirt from her fingernails. "He's just…I don't know…insecure or something."

"At least he has a fairy," Zelda replied, her voice soft. "At least he's not a freak."

Saria propped her chin up on one hand. "Remember what Deku always told you?"

Zelda nodded. "'Sometimes we are held captive by the tyranny of our own thoughts. Especially if they are unkind.'"

"Well," Saria replied, a mischievous lilt to her voice. "It was more like 'Sometimeth we arst heldeth captive by the tyrannyeth of our owneth thoughts.'"

Zelda sniggered at Saria's approximation of the Great Deku Tree's voice. She looked back at her friend and gave a grateful smile.

Zelda remembered that meeting with the Great Deku Tree well. It was her first – and only- encounter with the ancient guardian that watched over the Kokiri. Even thinking about him just made her feel safe and secure, like being wrapped up in warm wool. His words, too, had reached her heart. Zelda had resolved, from that moment on, to think more kindly of herself and others. More often than not, though, she had failed.

"Wow, it just hit me," Zelda said. "I'm going to see the Great Deku Tree again. Me!" A warm spring bubbled in her heart once again. _Who cares about those fluttering butterflies anyway?_ She grinned. "I don't believe it."

"Hey," Saria replied, a smile in her voice. "I said I was happy for you. Don't want your head inflating like a Deku Nut now."

Zelda's grin widened. She looked up. Kokiri Village, all wooden huts and rickety walkways swaying in the breeze, flew past her eyes. Some of the Kokiris caught sight of her and raised a hand in greeting. Zelda smiled and waved back. Straw-haired Jado, guessing at Zelda's destination, gave her two thumbs up. _Mido's wrong, _she mused._ They're not all like him._

"Not stopping at the village then?" Zelda asked.

Saria snorted. "You know no-one hardly ever uses this thing," she replied. "It's just to keep Mido busy. Or to go see Deku."

Zelda's eyes were drawn to a halo of icy cloud, barely visible from above the treeline of the forest. Death Mountain. She'd heard the stories the Know-it-all-Brothers told about the strange places outside of the Lost Woods, knew of the different types of people who lived there – some fantastically bizarre; they actually grew old!- but she'd never ventured into the land of Hyrule beyond. None of the Kokiri had.

"Do you think they know about us?" Zelda said. The window rattled under her palm. "The people outside, I mean."

"I'm sure they do." Saria stretched on her seat. "At least the prince does. Prince of Hyrule, that is. He had this railway built for us, after all."

"Yeah, I suppose." A shadow nudged at Zelda's thoughts, and the muscles in her face tensed in response.

"Something up?"

Zelda looked over her shoulder. She opened her mouth, hesitated. Her hand fell from the window to the sill. Paint peeled beneath her fingers.

Saria sat up straight. "What is it? What's wrong? Zelda?"

She decided to plunge in. "I've been having dreams. Dark dreams. About a man." She saw Saria move to speak and silenced her with a look. "That's why I went toad hunting. The real reason, I mean. Just needed a distraction, I guess."

"What's he look like?" Saria asked, her voice gentle. "This man."

Zelda frowned, remembering. "Older." She'd seen pictures, of course. She knew what the people outside looked like, what they grew into. "He's not one of us. Tall, too. There was something about him…" She shook her head. "Something…oddly familiar." Ice fell upon her heart once more. "What did Mido mean? About me leaving?"

"Stop it, Zelda." Saria swung her legs off of the other seat. "Hey, look. We're slowing down. We must almost be there."

*

Zelda, Saria and Mido stood on the platform, the engine puffing behind them, a sandy pathway before them. Trees stood sentinel on either side, their rustling branches forming an emerald canopy that shaded the path from the sun.

"Well," Zelda said, swallowing. "Here goes."

Saria caught her sleeve, wide eyes meeting hers. "I'll be waiting." Her friend swung around to meet the protest forming on Mido's tongue. "And so will you. It's not like you have any other passengers, is it?"

"Schedule…be late…" he grumbled under his breath.

"Good!" Saria chirped, turning back. "All settled then!"

Zelda took a deep breath, then stepped off the granite. The breeze whispered in her ears, made her tunic flutter. Leaves the colour of russet and gold swirled on lazy currents in the air. She wrapped her arms around herself. _Should have bought a blanket. _A frown creased her features. _But why? It was summer just a few minutes ago…_

"And you be careful."

Zelda blinked, surprised, then turned to look at Mido. As though aghast with the words coming out of his own mouth, the engineer scowled. "I mean…don't bring any vermin back or anything. There's all sorts up there. Don't want to pollute the village, hear?"

"I hear." She saw him take up a protective stance in front of Saria, much to her friend's annoyance. Mido always did see himself as the elder brother of the Kokiri. _He's not so bad, really. _Another thought struck her cold. _But if he sees himself as a protector and he always wants me gone, that means he must think me-_

She shook her head before the idea could fully form. Turning back, Zelda began her trek. The air seemed to thicken as she walked. A still serenity enshrouded her, as though a blanket of pure silence had been cast over the earth. She couldn't even hear her own footsteps. For some reason Zelda found it hard to look up. She became keenly aware of the thudding of her heart in her chest.

All the negative thoughts that had taken nest inside her began to melt away. Her skin prickled. She suddenly had the urge to protect everyone and everything – even Mido. She wanted no harm to come to anyone. It seemed crucial, somehow.

The path took a bend to the left and then blossomed out into a large circular glade, ringed with trees. In the centre, tall and wide, ancient face rippling with wizened bark, the Great Deku Tree looked down at Zelda with old, kind eyes.

"Greetings," the Tree rumbled in a voice like the snapping of a thousand dry twigs. "Welcome, Zelda. Come hither."

Zelda stayed rooted to the spot. Tongue plastered to the roof of her mouth, she felt her heart expand, as though it would burst from her chest. Her eyes fixed on a patch of dirt on the ground. She couldn't move them. Opening her mouth, she tried to make her lips form words, but all she could hear was the rapid panting of her breath.

_Do not panic. _The words echoed in her head, the presence of the Great Deku Tree soothing her soul like warm honey. Strengthened, she raised her head. An uncertain smile flashed on and off her lips. "You asked for me?"

"Indeed," the Tree replied, a melancholy tilt in his voice. "How art thou this day, Zelda?"

"Very well, thank you." She curtseyed, and tried to remember how she should speak in the Tree's presence. "And yourself, Great Deku?"

Leaves rustled. "Oh, as well as can be expected. Certain matters weigh heavy on my mind." He blinked slowly. "And thou, Zelda, art thou happy here with the Kokiri?"

Zelda couldn't find a reply. No one had ever asked her that before. Well, not directly. "Yes," she stammered. "Well, no." Hope gave her resolve. "I mean, if I had a fairy-"

"And how art thou when the sun flees and the stars stand sentinel? When thou art alone…with your dreams?"

Words fled from Zelda's tongue. _Does he know?_

Deku spoke on, as though her silence didn't bother him. "It is not every day that I must ask one of my children to place themselves in such grave peril. Verily, it is something that fills me with horror most profound. And yet…yet it seems that destiny has weaved a different path for thee, young Zelda. Thou…the other…and the third."

Zelda was finding it hard to keep track of the Deku Tree's words. Did this mean she wouldn't be getting a fairy, after all? "I don't understand."

"Zelda, listen carefully to what I, the Great Deku Tree, am about to tell thee-"

The ancient guardian never finished his words. Chaos exploded into the clearing. Spinning around, Zelda saw a pair of the surrounding trees shatter into splinters. A huge, hulking shape marched into view, the ground quaking with the thing's every step. Terror turned every one of Zelda's limbs to stone. Her mind, succeeding where her tongue failed, screamed and screamed and screamed.

"Keep back!" the Deku Tree bellowed. "Keep back, foul beast! Zelda, you must run. Run!"

Zelda wished she could. Her mind demanded it. Her legs weren't listening.

"To the prince, Zelda! In Hyrule Castle! Go!"

Armour-clad, darkness peering out from the steel helm perched atop its head, the monster reached the Great Deku Tree, pulled free an impossibly large sword from its back, and then thrust the blade deep into the guardian's trunk.

The Tree roared with pain, a horrible, horrible noise. "No…" Zelda whispered. _No one so kind and wise should make a sound like that._ A booming shockwave flew out from the Tree, every single one of his leaves exploding from his branches, and knocked Zelda sprawling to the ground. Inch-by-inch, colour began to drain from the guardian's body, the ancient bark petrifying as it turned a dark grey.

The monster tugged its sword free. Silence thickened the air for a heartbeat. Then the wind blew. Like a glacier thrust under the hot sun, the Great Deku Tree began to splinter, sharp cracks ringing out in the clearing. The Tree withered, branches blackening, then collapsed into a billowing cloud of dust. Spinning fairy dust took on a blood-red hue. It began to rain crimson tears.

Thoughts struggled to take hold in Zelda's panic-ridden mind. She scrambled in the dirt, her hands clawing for something to use as a weapon; a rock, a hidden sword, anything! A dim part of her mind registered a flicker of movement on the far side of the clearing, a subtle change in the air. _No time. No time to think. Deku…gone, gone gone!_

With a shriek of metal, the monster turned its head in her direction. Zelda whimpered, felt her stomach liquefy. The demon took a step towards her and the ground shook, the marrow in her very bones vibrating in response.

_Calm like Lake Hylia, calm like Lake Hylia, calm like Lake Hylia…_

A wall of heat exploded in the air. Zelda felt invisible flames lick at her tunic, singeing her skin. The monster moved closer. Terror stunned her mind. Hope died. There was nothing left in the universe except this yawning void of pain staring her in the face right now. The monster was upon her.

Zelda shut her eyes tight. _Please…let it be quick…_

"Well, hello."

Zelda's eyes flew open. The monster swung around to meet the source of the voice.

There was no-one there.

Zelda looked to the right – the path wound away into the distance under the wan light of the sun. She looked to the left – nothing. She looked up towards the circle of trees, saw twisted branches veiled with green leaves swaying in the breeze and –

_There._

A slender man balanced on the branches, poised with incredible composure, and dressed in a long coat of the deepest forest green that, somehow, failed to fall over the top of his head. His face was lean, though lined somewhat, and his fair hair was greying at the temples. He dropped from the tree, as graceful as a feather, and landed silently in a crouch. The motion disturbed nothing in the undergrowth.

He glanced at the monster, then at the scattered dust that marked all that was left of the Great Deku Tree. Darkness flashed in his eyes. "Too late."

The monster threw back its head and roared. Its ponderous march underway, metal pinged from its every movement. Something deep inside the monster's body hissed violently. It began to pick up speed.

The stranger stood in silence; a marble statue, his dark coat rippling in the breeze. His sword slid from its scabbard. Silver light ran down its edge, pooling into a twinkling star that flashed at the blade's tip.

With a howl, the monster charged, its stumpy metal legs drumming the ground, churning up a cloud of soil. Zelda wanted to cry out, to warn the man to move, do anything, but at the very last moment the stranger launched himself into the air, elegantly somersaulting over the demon beast. The monster rammed into a tree, splintering the bark. Chips of wood spun away in all directions. Shaking its horned head, the demon turned to face the stranger, twin pricks of scarlet gleaming from its darkened helm. It charged again.

Zelda stared transfixed as the creature drove in closer and closer. The stranger stood his ground, sword in hand, concentration etched on his face. Completely motionless, he seemed coiled tight like a spring. He took a step, grinned – and the dirt shifted beneath his feet. The stranger slipped and the monster slammed into his torso, throwing him back and up into the air. A tree broke his flight, knocking the wind from his lungs. The stranger slid down the length of the trunk, twigs snapping, and gasped for breath as he hit the ground. He glanced up.

Roaring in victory, the monster plunged forward for the kill. The stranger moved in a blur. He shifted the weight of his weapon to one side then, in a liquid smooth manoeuvre, sprang forward into a pinpoint thrust. The entire length of the silver metal blade ran thick with black ooze. Air rattling in its throat, the demon staggered backwards, arms windmilling, then toppled over to one side. Thin smoke twined its way out of the helm. It was over.

The stranger stooped down to wipe both sides of his sword on the dirt, then stood, turning to regard Zelda in quiet contemplation. He glanced at Deku's remains. Looked at the fallen monster. Looked at Zelda again.

"Right," he said, visibly relaxing. "I'll be off, then."

Zelda blinked. "What?" She blinked again. "Wait. Who _are _you?"

"Me?" He sniffed. "Oh, no one." A beat. "Hero of Time, actually. Was." He considered that for a moment. "_Am_. Am the Hero of Time. In another place. Another time." Narrowed eyes fixed Zelda with an intense stare. "And you," he said, voice soft. "You must be Zelda."

For the second time that day, Zelda felt as though she'd been slapped. "How did you-"

The intensity in the man's voice cut her off. "You look just like her. And a Kokiri this time. That's weird."

The wind gusted dust into Zelda's face. She recoiled from its touch. "Deku…"

"Dead. Darknut curse."

The bluntness of his words was like a hammer blow to her heart. Her soul snapped. "You…you could have stopped it. You just sat in that tree and did nothing. You were there all the time."

"Not really, love" he replied. "I only just got-" A wad of mud hit him in the mouth.

"_Why?"_ Zelda snarled, tearing another clod of dirt from the ground. Her throat hurt. Tears ran down her face. "_Why didn't you help?"_

With a sigh, the man flipped something up from inside his coat and brought it to his lips. Zelda recognised it – she owned a similar one, though hazel in colour, compared to his blue – but she couldn't make sense of what he meant to do with it.

The man blew into the ocarina, his fingers dancing. His eyes caught hers for a moment. _They seem so sad. _Zelda shook her head. She was meant to be angry with him, after all.

He played a few more notes into the ocarina, then stepped back. Reality rippled. The air _changed_; how and why, Zelda couldn't say, but she knew that it had altered, ever-so-slightly. A ribbon of sapphire light swirled up and around the entire length of the man's body. He held her gaze again, smiled – and then vanished.

Zelda stood alone in the clearing. The sun was beginning its descent, turning the tips of the surrounding trees orange. She shivered. The wind tugged at her again; she saw it cast random patterns into the grey dust blanketing the ground.

It wasn't until Saria and Mido found her much later, sobbing on her knees, that Zelda realised that the man who had called himself the Hero of Time was the man that had been haunting her dreams.


	3. Leavetaking

**3. Leavetaking**

She felt oddly calm. Oh, she was still sniffling, of course, and whenever she'd caught sight of her eyes in a mirror she saw that they were ringed red, but her heart felt light, fresh. Grief still blistered her soul, but that's all it was. A blister.

_It's because I have a purpose now_, Zelda reflected. _That helps_. A muscle in her chest thrummed and a deep sigh left her lungs.

Voices rang around the oak table where the Kokiri gathered to make important decisions. They were out in the open, sunlight tinting the fairy dust silver. The extra light bathed the warped and pitted table in a luminous haze.

"Oh, we gotta get a message to the prince, tell him-"

"Can't believe Deku's gone-"

"Are we gonna be safe here with that-"

Zelda sat on one of the chairs at the table, head bowed and hands folded primly in her lap. She'd done everything primly since she'd come back to the village last night. It's probably what they expected from her. A proper showing of grief, she supposed. Or guilt.

_Who cares? Now I know what I'm meant to do. And I'm glad. Or I will be. As soon as I start, that is._

She glanced up. Agitated faces jawed with one another, oblivious to her presence. Once or twice, sour faces peeked at her when they thought she wasn't looking. They blamed her for Deku's death. She was sure of it.

_Oh, stop. _Zelda shook her head and the thoughts evaporated. Self-pity was a tunic far too small for her. Her resolve strengthened. The voices still clashed, a tight throb in her head radiating in response to each word.

"The prince has always helped us before-"

"How are we supposed to get a message to-"

_I've had enough of this._ Placing her palms on the cool wood before her, Zelda pushed away from the table and stood up.

Silence dropped into the air. All those watching eyes almost made her falter. She stuck out her chin and ploughed on.

"Listen. Everyone," Zelda said, her gaze sweeping around the table. "I'll go. To the prince, I mean. Let him know what's happened. Let him decide what's best." _I hope. _"Deku asked me to go anyway."

The swiftness with which they agreed didn't surprise Zelda at all.

*

"Hey."

She'd known that this moment would come. Zelda turned from her bed – she'd been stuffing items into her small leather travel pack – and saw Saria, dressed in mourning black, framed in the open doorway of her little hut. "Hey."

Silence thickened between them. Saria broke it with a smile. And why not? If anyone could forgive Zelda, it would be Saria.

"You're leaving, then," her friend said. She stepped inside, ducking under the rolled up curtain pinned above the door, her boots making the bamboo floor creak. "Funny that. Always had a feeling you would. Don't know why."

"Like Mido did?"

"_Forget_ Mido." Saria stopped short, her fingers restless as they drummed her folded arms. Beams of sunlight poured through the little round windows and speckled her skin. "It's because you're…I don't know…special, I guess."

"Oh, 'special'." Zelda snorted. Pushing down on her bed with one knee, she reached up towards one of her shelves. She began tugging at a decorated metal box filled with mementos – mostly gifts, or strange coloured rocks she'd found in the forest. "The only Kokiri ever to be kicked out of the forest." She grunted as the box refused to budge. "Not much of an honour."

"The _first _Kokiri _ever_ to leave the forest. What an honour." Saria smiled. "Like I said. Special."

Zelda found her friend's grin infectious. "Always know the right thing to say, don't you? Thanks."

"Here, let me help." Together they began to drag the box squealing to the edge. "And who's kicking you out? You volunteered."

"They were practically itching to say it themselves. I just saved them the trouble."

"Oh?" Saria grunted as they struggled with the box. "You're just going to tell the prince what happened, Zelda, not go on a magical quest or something. You're coming back, yeah? It's what Deku wanted, after all."

"Deku wanted _something_ from the prince, that's for certain. I'm not sure –_ow!_"Zelda shook her fingers as the box fell onto the bed with a dull thud.

Saria peered down at it. "You can't take that. It's too heavy."

"I wasn't going to." Zelda unfastened the latches, then swung open the lid. "You're always doing things for me. Always. And I'm such a bad friend, I don't do anything in return." She rummaged about for a few moments more, then pulled free something small. "Well…this is for you." She swallowed. "To remember me by."

Saria's eyes widened as she saw Zelda's fairy ocarina. "I can't. You love that thing."

Zelda pressed her lips together. "I know."

"You made it yourself…so long ago, do you remember?"

"Do I!" Memories melted through Zelda's grief. "Blame the Brothers. They put the idea into my head."

"Good thing they helped you with it," Saria replied. "Or else you'd be giving me a lump of wood that made toad noises."

Zelda gave her friend a lock of mock-astonishment. "Hey, what's wrong with toad noises? It's what I hear from your hut every morning."

Saria laughed, then sighed. She glanced from Zelda to the ocarina and then back again. Her eyes glistened. With a gentle touch Saria lifted the instrument from Zelda's hand. "The prince will help us, Zelda, he helps everyone. And I know you can do it. It's just so…_you_ to do this for our people."

"Yeah…"

Zelda wished she shared Saria's certainty. It wasn't her people that prodded her on now. She'd be glad to leave quite a few of them far behind. The treacherous thought was crushed as her friend engulfed her in a fierce hug. Zelda hugged back, biting her lip to stop it quivering.

"You'll come back, won't you?" Saria whispered.

"I hope so." Zelda sniffed. The words felt hollow on her tongue. "I'll miss you." She remembered what they used to say to each other when they were younger. "Friends forever?"

"Friends forever." The faint hint of a train's sharp whistle pricked their ears. Ruffling her hair, Saria let her go. "It's time."

*

They all took the train this time, the entire Kokiri tribe, much to Mido's smug delight. Some of them wished Zelda well, others looked at her with eyes as hard as the granite railway platforms. Zelda smiled at them all. _Might as well. Might not ever see them again._

And, anyway, like Saria said, Zelda was going to be the first of her people to go out into the world. A grand adventure! She tried to make herself feel as hopeful and bouncy as her thoughts. It didn't quite work.

She leaned forwards against a carriage door, her head peeking out of the open window. Lost in her thoughts, Zelda let the train gently rock her to and fro as it chugged along, her face unflinching from the flying tendrils of steam.

Memories hurtled past. There, a huge red flower, larger than a pair of Kokiri, with a fountain of sweet sticky dew. She and Saria used to play there all the time. Though there was that one time when one of the Kokiri – still uncaught to this day – had snuck up on her and had tried to push her head into the spray. Nice.

Another place, a tree this time, where she'd spent happy hours with the Know-it-all Brothers as they'd taught her to climb, swing and somersault. Good thing, too, because Mido had once tried to drop her from the branches. She'd managed to slow her fall and land in a crouch. Still had a bruise to show for it. And after she'd finished with him, so had Mido.

The forest was all different now. Drained of colour. Dark.

Like Deku's remains.

A metallic clunk made the train shudder. Zelda glanced down, saw that they'd changed tracks. The steel lining the ground here was flecked with rust, the wooden boards warped; this part of the railway was seldom used. No wonder. It led nowhere, that's why.

"End of the liiiiiiiiiiine!" Metal screeched in response to Mido's call, and the engine, with a long sigh of steam, came to a halt. Zelda craned her neck and peered ahead. A cave yawned back at her, the dark opening draped with a massive spider-web, thick threads dripping with sap. Zelda stared hard. There didn't seem to be anything else to do.

It wasn't long before Zelda stood alone in front of the tunnel. Her people, huddled en masse, though a few of them perched themselves upon the engine, watched her in hushed silence. Fairies soared gracefully through the air, leaving fading trails of light etched onto her vision. Some of the Kokiri had their fists in their mouths, eyes wide. Others had their arms folded in satisfaction. Water gurgled in a creek nearby.

Zelda found herself letting out a breath she hadn't even realised she'd been holding in. She saw Saria out of the corner of her eye, saw her friend forcing herself not to cry. Zelda had to look away.

"Well," she said, letting her gaze wander over the rest of her people. They waited in expectation. Muddled up feelings churned inside her heart. Part of her itched to be gone. Another part, a dark cloud of confusion and grief, pricked at her eyes. "I guess this is-"

"You know what I heard?" She turned. Mido. It had to be Mido. He strode towards her with a strut. "I heard that if a Kokiri leaves the forest, they…well…"

Zelda's eyes narrowed. "They what?" Silence met her. Her heart smouldered. "What, Mido? What happens if a Kokiri leaves the forest?"

Mido was face-to-face with her now. "They die."

"Untrue." It was one of the Know-it-all Brothers. "We wouldn't die. At least, we don't think so. It was the Great Deku Tree who didn't want us to venture out of the forest. So we didn't." He smiled at Zelda. "Until today. Here." Something small and round passed from his hand to Zelda's. Seeing her quizzical expression, he explained, "A compass. It'll point you in the right direction. Show you how to get through this tunnel. Under the Lost Woods is where you're going. Under and then out into Hyrule."

Zelda's hand curled around the compass. "Thank you." His words sunk into her soul and made it tremble. _Under and then out._ "I don't know what else to say."

"Here, Zel, here." It was Jado, a dark pouch swinging from a dirty string clutched in her hand. "Some bread. You forgot, didn't you?"

"Yeah…" Zelda began to wonder what else she'd overlooked. "Silly me."

Jado's fingers squeezed her hand as the little bag passed between them. Zelda let out another breath. Disquiet gnawed at her. "You know, maybe I should wait a bit." She realised how impractical her words were now that everyone was out here in the open. Impractical, and a little less than brave than she'd intended. Oh, well. What's done was done. "Wait, and get a bit more ready so –"

Mido rounded on her "Just go!" With a snarl, he shoved her towards the tunnel, flinging her into the giant spider-web. Shock stole her breath. Cold, sticky strands seeped into her skin, biting her with ice. They shattered with a large snap and the cave swallowed her.

She heard Saria screaming, but Zelda's mind was whirling too much to really listen. She stumbled further into the cave, the faint light from the opening behind her revealing jagged lichen-coated walls and an uneven rocky floor beneath, slicked wet from a steady flow of water drops falling from above.

Zelda threw out her arms to steady herself. Her hand touched a wall, found something soft and yielding under her fingers. It cracked open. Tiny miniscule insects blossomed out all across the rock wall, skittering this way and that, a million legs carrying a thousand glistening bodies. Zelda's fist flew to her mouth as she staggered backwards.

Something stroked her hair. Spinning around, her eyes met the monstrous form of a giant centipede resting against the other wall, pincers the size of her hands, curved body rippling with the sound of a thousand clicks. Zelda's mouth opened, but her tight throat refused to make a noise. She took another step back – and fell through a hole.

Down and down she tumbled, the darkness swallowing her whole, thin cuts slicing into her skin. Her whole body rolled over, her face now rushing towards the ground. Her neck snapped to and fro, spiking her with pain; her bones ached and she felt something wet coat her lower lip. Moss flew into her mouth as she came to a jolting halt. Her head spun, and she dug her fingers into the soft earth as she tried to reassure herself that she had, indeed, reached solid ground. With a laboured groan, Zelda lifted her head. A clod of earth fell from above, bursting as it hit the dirt-streaked floor.

Pure blackness met her. She couldn't make out the shape of a single thing. She couldn't even see her hand, even if she waved it front of her face. Stifling an urge to scream, Zelda scrambled to her feet. A rock caught her ankle and she toppled to the ground once again, her head snapping hard against a boulder half-buried in the mud. Noises rang in her ears as she pulled herself upright for the second time.

_Dark. Too dark._ A trembling fit took her, and fire burned in her heart. _How stupid! Don't they know I'm not like them? Didn't they remember?_

Zelda whacked her thighs with her fists. "I can't see!" she screamed. "I don't have a fairy!"

Her own words responded to her, echoing. _Calm. Stay calm. _She closed her eyes – not that it made much difference – and breathed in deeply. In. Out. In. _Calm._

Something hard was clenched in one of her sweaty fists. She opened her hand. The glowing pointer of the compass, a tiny arrow of light in the oppressive dark, told her to walk ahead. A candle of warmth lit her heart. Strengthened, she began to march forward.

Cold air pinched her skin. Spider-webs stroked her face. _Things _scampered in the dark; they crawled over her boots, probing with pincers and twig-like limbs. Zelda forced her eyes to face straight ahead, kept her face as rigid as marble. She didn't want to think. If she stopped to think, she might sink to the ground and never get up.

Hours she spent in that tunnel, compelling one foot forward and the other to follow suit. It twisted one way and then another. Not that Zelda could really tell, though; if it wasn't for the compass, there'd be nothing for her senses except her and icy, black air. She started to grow fond of that little pointing light. Sometimes she thought she'd like to have a nice chat with it. Perhaps give it a name. Saria. Saria sounded good. Yeah – Saria and Zelda trekking through the dark continent of…of…Mido. Yes, that was it. Mido. At other times she thought that she heard someone whimpering. It took her a moment to realise that it was her. A cold numbness seeped into her veins.

When the opening came at last, her bedazzled mind couldn't make sense of it. She stopped. Stared. Why was there a block of light carved out of the black? It didn't make sense. There was nothing here but the dark. There had never been anything anywhere except the dark.

Zelda blinked, coming back to herself in an instant. Her heart surged. A grin grew on her face. She ran. The tunnel opened out into a large cavern, and the exit grew larger in her eyes, her boots ringing out in the gloom.

A low rumble echoed through the air. Zelda skidded to a halt. Heart pounding, her eyes tracked the darkness, searching for the source of the sound. She felt the prickle of cold sweat run down the entire length of her body. Around and around she turned, and still Zelda saw nothing. Nothing. It was nothing. Her imagination, maybe. She began to back away at a slow, measured pace, her eyes searching as she made for the exit again. A blanket of mist swirled in from a place Zelda couldn't see and clung to her ankles.

The deep rumble came again. Zelda froze. A single, glowing eye, orange in colour and larger than three Kokiri, split open in the dark. The faint light revealed the rest of the creature and Zelda at last realised what had made such a large web at the mouth of the tunnel. _But how had it gotten through such a narrow space?_

She had no time to ponder. The giant arachnid reared back on its legs and roared. Zelda screamed in return and forced her legs, now heavy as lead, to propel her to the opening. Her feet picked up speed as the ground trembled under the spider's touch. Strange metallic clanking chased her every move. The light of the exit grew larger and larger in her eyes and yet it still seemed so far away. She imagined a pressure at her back, thought she felt spidery limbs push at her.

Zelda screamed once again and threw herself through the opening. Air flew from her lungs as she hit the ground in a roll. Springing to a crouch, she spun around. A single spider's leg, large as a grown man, thrust itself through the hole. It flexed a few times, as though searching, and then retreated back into the darkness. Zelda fell on her rear, breathing heavily.

She stayed that way for a long time. Long enough, at least, for the shivering to stop. It was daylight – how long _had_ she been in there? Her stomach told her that it had been at least a single day and a night. Zelda grimaced. She'd spent that long inside that darkness with all those things, with _that_ thing? She trembled again, and suddenly she didn't feel hungry after all. But she couldn't live like that. Reaching into her travel pack, she broke off a heel of hardened bread and popped it into her mouth. Strength began to flow back into her body.

Zelda surveyed her surroundings. She was stood on a dusty rise, hemmed in by twin parallel lines made of rocks. A large owl perched on one of the boulders bobbed its head this way and that. Over the crest of the rise she caught a glimpse of green. Her heart skipped. Hyrule Field.

"Wait a minute." She pursed her lips. "You told me how to get out of the tunnel. You didn't tell me how to get _to_ the castle." _Stupid! Why hadn't I thought of that before? _The answer came in an instant, and it shocked her. She'd just wanted to get away as quickly as possible, that's why. Get her away from her friends and home. And from what remained of Deku. Oh, sure, she'd do what she'd been asked to. But, after that, she'd strike out on her own. Find a place where she belonged.

Her heart surprised her by stiffening against the dark tide of emotion. _Whine, whine, whine, whine, whine. What was that you said earlier about self-pity? Keep moving onward, girl. _A memory caught in the net of her thoughts. Another thing Deku had said to her in their very first meeting. _'Zelda, thou must be aware that verily those wrapped up in themselves make very small packages.'_ Remembering how the ancient guardian had laughed then made the breath of a soothing smile blow onto her heart.

Shouldering her pack, Zelda decided there was nothing more to do except keep going. Surely someone out there could point her in the right direction, right? _I don't know what I'm doing, do I? _Zelda fought the urge to panic and moved off. Her feet ached. Grit had entered her boots and had entrenched itself between her toes. She hoped she didn't have to walk too far.

Zelda took a few steps – and then stopped. She took another step – and stopped again. A third time she moved, and a third time she halted. Zelda listened to the sound of her own breathing. She looked up. That owl, the one she'd spotted earlier. It was watching her. She swore it was.

A crazy idea winded its way into her head. It was so bizarre, so utterly insane, that she just had to give voice to it. "You…you're going to talk, aren't you?"

The owl cocked its head to one side. It said nothing. Zelda made a disgusted noise in her throat. Pinpricks of heat rose on her chest. "I'm glad Mido wasn't here to see-"

"Oh-ho. It is not every day that one escapes the clutches of Queen Gohma and lives to tell the tale."

"AAAAAH!" Zelda threw herself back against the rocks.

The owl cocked its head again. "You, who talk to a tree, find me strange? Hoo!"

Zelda opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again, then realised she had no response to that. Her jaws snapped shut. She watched the owl for a heartbeat. It puffed its cheeks. "Who," she said, "are you? And what's a Gohma?"

"Hoo! Gohma is that what you just fled from and I," it bowed its head, "am Kaepora Gaebora. At your service, Zelda. The Great Deku Tree told me you might be coming this way."

"You knew Deku?"

"Indeed. Hoo!" He fluttered his wings. "He was a good friend of mine. I felt his passing. A loss. A great loss."

Zelda felt her heart twist. "For me, too."

"For all of us. Hoo! It always is when wisdom dies."

She stepped forward. _If he knew Deku, he must be trustworthy, right? He knows my name, after all. _"You can help me?" she said. "Get to the castle?"

"To the castle, yes," he replied. "But, if I could be so bold to ask, how are you planning to get in?"

"Well, I thought I would –"

"Hoo! Just walk up to the door and ask for the prince?"

"Well-" Heat rushed to her cheeks. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. _"I'm sorry. I'm so unprepared for this. None of my people are used to the ways of this land. We didn't think. Didn't plan."

The owl's head bobbed, yellow eyes regarding her with amusement. _Bit like that toad, _Zelda thought before snuffing the thought out quickly. _Don't want to burst out laughing in front of a friend of the Great Deku Tree._ Kaepora spoke again: "Hoo! Help is what you need. Help, indeed. No-one said that this task was yours alone to bear."

"But who can take me to the castle…?"

"The castle? Hoo! Ah, first a little detour, I'm afraid. Hoo! Destiny has called you elsewhere, and you must respond to its summons."

"Destiny?" She felt her heart prickle. "Deku spoke like that, too. Where am I supposed to go now?"

"Hoo! Another place. A graveyard, to be exact."

Zelda frowned. She didn't like the sound of that. "You want me to go to a cemetery? Why?"

"Hoo! Like I said…your destiny awaits you there. And help, too. Trust me. You'll find your way to the castle from there, I assure you."

"Where is it?" Zelda asked. "This graveyard, I mean. And I should do what there?" She hated being so blind about, well, everything, but like the Know-it-all Brothers always told her, asking questions was the quickest cure for ignorance. "Is there someone there that I'm supposed to meet?" A dark thought made her wince. "This person will be alive, right?"

"Just go. Hoo! Destiny will take its course. It's not far. You'll see it atop a hill as soon as you're into the Field. The graveyard. Then the castle." He ruffled his feathers and rotated his head. "Now. Did you get all that?"

"Er…yes," Zelda replied, puzzled. "Why wouldn't I have?"

"Then I shall depart! Hoo!" Air buffeted Zelda's face as the owl rose into the air, wings flapping. "Remember, the graveyard…your fate unfolds therein."

"Hey, wait!" Zelda cried. "Who killed Deku? And do you know someone called the Hero of Time?"

But the owl had already left.

This was getting too strange. "So," she said. "A talking owl tells me to go to a graveyard. And what do I do?" She sighed. "I go." She paused. "And now I talk to myself." Zelda ran up the rest of the rise, mounted the summit and looked out. Her breath fled.

_It's so…immense. So impossibly huge._

Grass swaying in the breeze stretched out away from her in all directions. Hazy sunlight made the air shimmer, so much so that Zelda had to shade her eyes from the blinding whiteness. Everywhere she looked she caught the glint of miles and miles of track, punctuated every so often by small wooden structures. The Know-it-all Brothers had told her about those. Stations, they were called, where the people waited for the trains.

A buzz made her look up. Her mouth fell open. She knew what this was, too. Another gift from the Brothers. Curved at both ends, it floated in the air with a regal grace. "Airship," she breathed. "An actual airship."

Zelda let out a breath. _Right. Stop it. No more gawking. No more acting like a…like a…little girl! I stand out enough as it is. _She felt stronger already. _Right. First. Bearings._ Zelda looked around. A breeze carrying the scent of jasmine and rose tugged at her tunic. There were no large dwellings in immediate sight, save for one of those stations about a hundred paces away. Her eyes found the hill the owl had mentioned – it certainly wasn't as close as he'd led her to believe – and saw the smudge of darkness at its peak. Her gaze fell to the squat structure sitting at the base. Another station.

"When in Hyrule," Zelda whispered, "do as the-" _Wait. What are they called again? Oh, yes _"- the Hylians do."

And that meant that she certainly wasn't going to walk to this hill. She was going to take the train.


	4. Into the Warren

**A/N: **Seven years! Seven years to the day since I first posted the first chapter of The Apprentice! ("And you're _still_ writing fanfic. Ha ha!"). I'm sure all the regular readers remembered my anniversary, right? _Right?_ Hmph! Anyway, seriously, thanks to everyone who's reviewed thus far. This isn't going to be a very long fic, so I hope you all enjoy the ride.

Split

**4. Into the Warren**

"Money?" the conductor bellowed, his eyes peering at her down the length of his girth. "Money? Little lady, you don't need no rupees to ride the prince's railroad. Never have. Never will. No tickets to buy for one thing." A proud look flitted over his large face. "That's generosity for you, and don't you be forgetting it."

"Oh, right," Zelda said. Sweet relief sang in her heart. "Great." She struggled to find something suitable to say. "All hail the prince and all that."

Frowning, the conductor rocked back and forth on his heels. "Where you headed, miss?"

Zelda pointed. As the conductor turned to look, a train pulled into the station, enveloping them both in a cloak of steam. The wooden planks of the platform drummed with the beat of dozens of feet. Eddies of people swirled in and off the carriages. And what people! As the smoke dissipated, Zelda tried hard not to stare. Bronze-skinned Gerudos, happy rotund Gorons with shaggy pelts to protect them from the bitter chill of Death Mountain, and slender Zora, all angular faces and haughty eyes. None of them gave her a second look. Good thing, too. She could do without the attention.

Boring as they were, Zelda was now glad that she'd been forced to sit all those lessons with the Know-it-all Brothers. Not only could she now identify each race, she could also read the Hylian written in red on the Zora tunics. 'S.O.S,' it said. Read it, yes. Shame she couldn't understand it.

The conductor – a Hylian himself, Zelda saw - pulled off his cap and ran a hand through his hair. "There? Lon Lon Hill? Yeah, this is the train you want."

"This one?" Zelda asked, startled out of her reverie. She glanced at the engine, metal scorched black from years of use, then back at the conductor. "Really?"

"It's the next stop, little lady."

"Thanks!" Zelda waved and bounded up the steps of the carriage. _Something easy for once! _The conductor's voice made her pause just as she was about to enter. She should have just ignored him, but couldn't. He seemed like such a nice guy. "Yes?"

"No one goes up that hill, miss," he said, scratching his head. "What's there for you? It's dangerous, or so I've heard." His brow creased. "Say, where are your parents anyway?"

Zelda frowned. "Parents?" she called as she slid into the coach. "What are those?" She popped her head back out a moment later. "If there are no tickets, what exactly do _you_ do?"

The conductor opened his mouth to reply, but the shriek of the locomotive's whistle drowned him out. Hissing steam poured out onto the platform. With a shudder, the train moved off.

Zelda huddled in the corner of her seat, desperate not to attract attention, and trying not to meet anyone's eyes. The wooden table set before her rattled with every bump and curve. A spill of scrolls lay on the surface. She couldn't resist. Zelda gave the papers a surreptitious glance. '_Hyrule Daily'_, it said in large, black letters. Underneath that she could make out the words: '_Night of Choosing Upon Us!'_ She pursed her lips. It was all a mystery to her.

Her eyes scanned the surrounding seats. No one paid her any heed, lost as they were in their own conversations and thoughts. Zelda chanced a peek out of the window. Fractured light from the descending sun warmed her face. Leather creaked beneath her. Fields rolled by as the locomotive maintained its steady rhythm. She saw a sprinkle of cuccos pecking the ground in their mindless manner, followed by what she assumed was a farm of some kind, all large wooden buildings trailing smoke from their chimneys, a myriad mixture of animals – lean chestnut horses, plump cows, packs of yet more cuccos – gently grazing nearby. It was the first time she'd seen a farm outside of pictures. It was the first time she'd seen a lot of things, to be honest.

She squinted. Far, far away she thought she could make out a faint hint of towers, draped in clouds and spiking the sky with elegant grace. Zelda's heart lurched. _Could it be…? Hyrule Castle…?_

A ringing voice punctured her thoughts, "Lon Lon Hill!" and Zelda sprang from her seat.

*

The train trailed away into the distance, leaving Zelda gazing up at the hill. Small, thin trees jutted out at awkward angles on the grassy surface. Water trickled somewhere nearby. Her eyes followed the length of the hill upwards. Not good. This was going to take a while. There was no path for one thing. She wondered exactly who was buried up there anyway.

Zelda scrambled up, boots sliding in the mud, rocks tumbling in her wake. _Hope this place isn't far. And it's getting dark. No way am I spending the night in a graveyard. _A stone wobbled under her foot, then tore free, throwing her flat on her face. She tried to stand, but ground gave way beneath her. A slip and a yell later and she found herself tumbling.

Loose pebbles pounded her face and tore at her tunic. She tried to reach out to slow her descent, but nothing met her hands except soft dirt. Faster and faster she fell. A fallen branch, thick as a Hylian arm, rammed into her stomach, winding her. Her own arm wrenched painfully, but she came to a stop at last. Covered in dirt, she sat up, breathless. Her eyes tracked upwards. She'd have to climb yet again.

"Gah!" she spat. "Why does nothing ever go right?" A blanket of cold gloom enwrapped her heart. She was sure that destiny – or whatever- wanted her to sleep in the graveyard. And all because she'd said to herself that she wouldn't. She waited until her arm stopped throbbing, then, with a shake of her head, Zelda set off.

Serenity found her a little while later. She was making progress now, but she knew that she'd have to stop soon. Stars began winking into life; the air cooled and the sun slid away. The sky took on the lustre of a perfect black opal. A light curtain of drizzle draped Hyrule. Up here, she could see it all. Well, she could see the lights anyway. It was beautiful enough to make Zelda's heart soar, but she couldn't wait long. Looking around, she found an overhanging tree perched beside a tiny rivulet. _Stay close to water. Even I know that. _After a fine meal of bread and more bread, she decided to camp for the night.

Feet crossed, hands laced behind her head, Zelda lay back and watched the net of stars above. There, up there, was Warrior's Net. And there! Koriri's Bow! Back in the village, she'd spent nights under the stars in front of a crackling fire with her ocarina on her lips as the Know-it-all Brothers had named every twinkling constellation. The simple beauty of the stars had always made her heart tingle with joy.

A faint mist of light rain disturbed the leaves in the tree above. She found the steady hiss soothing. Zelda began to wonder what everyone was doing back home right this instant. Saria, the Brothers, even Mido. Were they all perched by their windows, thinking of her? The idea that Mido would do such a thing made her snort and she almost choked on the last crumbs of her evening meal.

_Why did I rush into this?_ she thought, and the answer was swift: _Because Deku wanted me to. And because I couldn't stay there anymore. _Thinking of Deku made her eyes sting. _But he didn't tell me to come __**here**__, though. The middle of nowhere!_

Something hooted in the distance. _Hope it's not that owl again. Just 'go to the graveyard.' Nothing more than that. What am I, mad? _

Zelda thought again about her people. Saria; her belief that Zelda was selflessly trekking out on this quest. Deku; about unkind thoughts and being chained to them. And Mido, who'd shoved her into the tunnel. A knot dissolved in her heart. She could forgive Mido. Sure, why not? Her not having a fairy must have shaken him or something, must have made him question his…his…

"Oh, I don't know," Zelda whispered. She'd forgive him because that's what Deku would have wanted, what Deku would have done in her place. _No more little girliness._

A howl rang out in the air, faint and ghostly. "Ohhhh," Zelda hissed. She smacked the ground. "I'm never going to get any sleep." Turning to rest her cheek against her hand, Zelda felt her eyes grow heavy. The world began to blur into darkness.

Zelda froze just a heartbeat later. A faint motion had just snagged her gaze. She sniffed, her eyes straining. There it was again! Something had just scrabbled in the dirt just a notch from her feet. A powdery scratching noise coiled up from the ground. She stood, wide awake now.

The sound faded. She waited, her nails digging into her palms. Her pulse thudded in her ears, ferocious war-drums that beat out a deafening rhythm. Her eyes dropped to the left, then to the right.

Nothing.

"First, a monster," she breathed. "Then a giant spider. What-"

A sudden cold breeze knifed through the clearing.

Zelda bit her lip. The ground exploded. A skeletal hand, thin and bony, poked through the hole, spouting mud and dirt in its wake. Zelda's unformed scream died gurgling in her throat._ Oh no. Oh, please no._ Wasn't there a single sane thing in this stupid country? She stumbled once, almost fell, then staggered backwards. Her heel caught on something hard, sending sharp pains needling through her leg, and she almost toppled again. _More misery and pain. What a trip this has been!_

Spinning away, her whole body twisting, Zelda somehow managed to regain her footing. Panic soared through her veins, jabbering at her heart. More hands sprouted from the earth, clods of soil falling from their clawing, bone-white fingers. Skeletal creatures, all ribs and femurs and spines and who-knew-what-else, pulled themselves upright, yellow orbs glowing from within their grinning skulls. Were these things even alive?

"Come on! This way!"

Zelda looked up. At first she couldn't find the source of the voice. For a moment, she thought it was the Hero of Time again and her heart had skipped. _But why? I hardly know him. Just because he rescued me once. And because he's in my dreams._

Her eyes searched. _There. _A strange figure hovered before her – small, glowing and enwrapped in a tattered cloak that hid its face. A lantern floated beside it, swinging from side to side, the flame within fluttering. It seemed indistinct, a smear of glowing light that seemed very much to fade in and out of reality. It spoke again. "Come on, I said! Quickly!"

Cold twig-like fingers brushed her ankles. Zelda decided that she'd take her chances with the glowing thing. It led her further up the hill, leading her along a twisting trail of sorts littered with loose scree. "Hey, wait up," she panted. "Who are you, then? What are you? Are you from the owl?"

"Bloke and a geezer, that's what I am, petal," it replied. "A 'poe' is what them educated folk down at t'castle might call me."

"Poe…" This was new. The Know-it-all Brothers clearly didn't 'know-it-all', considering the amount of different things she'd learnt already. "And those things?"

"Stalchild. Come out after dark. Surprised ya dint know that, petal. Just have to tell 'em to bog off once in a while, innit."

She ducked a branch. "Where are we going?"

"Our Tracy wants ya, petal. Saw you comin up the hill," the Poe replied. He lowered his voice. "'Crazy Tracy' we calls 'er, but don't tell 'er that to her face, if ya know what I mean."

"Crazy…?" Disquiet knotted her chest. This was getting worse and worse. "She's…?"

Burning eyes turned to face her. "A witch."

Zelda wanted to ask more, but the Poe rounded one last corner and stopped short. A pair of tall gates greeted her. Lined with iron bars, they creaked as the breeze pushed against them. The two gates were open, the metal rusted, and the pair sang a melancholy chime as they gently banged against the other. Lanterns burned on either side and beyond she could see small mounds marked with broken slabs of granite. The mist thickened here and the drizzle became rain that splattered against the headstones, ran down her face, and stung her eyes.

"The graveyard…"

"Indeed." It was a woman's voice. A tall, thin woman in a billowing lavender gown, to be exact, materialising out of the mist. An amulet glittered on her forehead, her aquiline features beautiful, her skin the colour of marble. "A forest girl? How strange." She swung her purple eyes around to regard the Poe. "You've done well."

"At your service," he replied. The Poe met Zelda's glare with a cool gaze.

_A trap! But the owl had said…_

"And you, little," the witch said, her violet eyes glowing molten as she turned back towards Zelda. "Down to the Warren with you."

*

And down into the Warren they went. The bowels of Lon Lon Hill were an underground labyrinth of criss-crossing tunnels lined with bright, swaying lanterns like glittering stars trapped in crystal. They travelled in rickety mine-carts that held the stench of burnt steel, rumbling along metal rails set deep into the earth. The blackness without mirrored the dark thoughts buzzing Zelda within.

_I hate this, _she mused. _Hate this place. Hate that owl for sending me here and...and…and Mido for pushing me in the first place_!

A familiar film of disappointment settled on Zelda's heart. Every time she had tried to follow Deku's teachings, real life would come and slap her back into place. _He'd probably have something sage to say about that, too. Shame I'll never get the chance to know what. _She couldn't hold back the raging torrent of her thoughts. _What does he know anyway? He's just a tree!_

Zelda jerked upright, shocked by the impertinence of her own musings. She glanced up.

Crazy Tracy the witch sat at the head of the cart, flanked by shadowy wraithlike creatures holding stained whips in their liquid hands. As if sensing that she was being watched, the witch swung her luminous gaze round to regard Zelda. Their eyes locked, the only sound the clatter of metal wheels against metal rails.

"Forest girl," the witch said at last. "What is your purpose here? Who sent you?"

Zelda had to strain to catch her words. The cart made a thunderous cacophony as it trundled along, the noise amplified a thousand fold, squeezed as it was in the narrow passageways. "No one." She hoped her jaw wasn't trembling too much. "I was just camping on the hill. I didn't mean anything by it."

The cart roared past an open cavern. Steam blasted the air, hissing and spitting, a curtain of fine claret mist with a molten, luminous core. A fire roared from behind a huge rusted grille, blackened with age and built into one wall, the flames billowing with rage. Iron-coated horn hammers rose and fell, pounding hot, glowing steel into strange metallic shapes. _Clank. Clank. Clank._ Zelda's heart caught in her throat as she saw what was being built.

"Ah," the witch said, noticing Zelda's discomfort. "You've caught sight of my Darknuts, little. Lovely beasties, don't you think?" She purred with soft laughter. "And to think all they need is a little steam and oil. Magic has become so advanced, don't you think?"

Realisation hit Zelda like an anvil. Her stomach turned to water. Her eyes crept back towards the witch. "You…you killed Deku." Her tears evaporated in the heat. She found her breath hitching rapidly. "Didn't you?"

"The weed? In the forest?" A cold smile touched Tracy's lips as she raised both her palms. "I confess. Guilty. Friend of yours?"

Zelda stared. It was this witch. This witch that had led her stumbling out of the forest and from one mind-numbing terror to the next. That had brought so much grief to her and her people. Zelda felt her soul jolt. _Her people. _The rushing air whipped her skin. She felt her eyes go as hard as her heart. "Why?"

"Why, little?" A shadow fell across the witch's face. The raging, fiery heat plummeted to an icy sigh, as though there lived deep in the bowels of the earth some immense dragon whose breath rushed through the caverns. "I killed them all, you see. All the Sages. The ones that I knew of, at least. See…they were the ones that hold Hyrule in balance. Protect it." Her eyes glowed. "And with them gone, I'm now free to march onto Hyrule Castle." Her face took on a mocking slant. "Your pathetic little weed was the last one to fall. Heard his scream from here. Lovely."

Zelda felt her veins boil. Forget what Deku had ever taught her. The only thing she wanted to do now was to put a swift end to Crazy Tracy, the witch. Painfully.

Zelda closed her eyes. _Calm like Lake Hylia, calm like Lake Hylia, calm like Lake Hylia…_

"See," the witch went on, her voice dropping an octave. "They never respected me. No matter how much my knowledge grew, no matter how much I achieved, how many skills I gained, they never accepted me as one of them." She looked away, as though embarrassed by what she'd revealed. "I wouldn't expect a forest girl to understand."

A conflict of emotions churned within Zelda's mind. "I do actually."

Crazy Tracy snorted. "I'm sure." She paused, then: "Soon the whole world will, though. It had better. Never once did it go my way. Not once."

_Who said it should have? _The seed of sympathy withered away from Zelda's heart. _What a childish woman. Making herself all sad just because life didn't cut her a break. Boo hoo. She's just like –_

Glum comprehension dawned behind Zelda's eyes. "- like me."

"Stop mumbling, little," the witch said. "I _will _be remembered. For the rest of eternity."

_Even if you're not around to see it?_ Zelda mused. _That all leads to a big 'so what?' _ She kept her thoughts to herself, though. Whatever else this witch was, it was clear that she was dangerous. Very dangerous.

The cart's wooden boards rattled as it lurched around one corner, a plume of sparks from the screeching real wheels burning the darkness. It sped down a narrow straight, the howling wind screaming banshee-like in Zelda's ears, then around yet another corner. One of the wraiths pulled a lever. The cart came to a sudden halt so jarring that Zelda was thrown face-first into the cold wooden flooring. The wraiths heaved her up, then unceremoniously dumped her into a small cavern. A wall of magical energy, shimmering an incandescent jade, shot up in front of the wide opening.

Crazy Tracy's blurred face gazed at her through the magic wall. "I won't kill you yet, little," she breathed. "Not until I know why you came here and who sent you. One of the Magical Circle, perhaps? It's true, isn't it? I can see it in your eyes." The witch's own eyes shone with a fever that radiated from deep within her. "Curse their jealousy. Their envy. I knew it. It burns them up inside. Rots their souls. They spend all their time thinking of ways to belittle me, don't they? _Don't they?_ I'll find out which one of them sent you, little. Be glad that other, more pressing matters demand my attention at the moment. But I will be back. Mark my words."

Metal shavings flew from under the witch's boot as she spun on her heel. Signalling to her shadow wraiths, she stalked off into the dark. One of the creatures paused before it followed its mistress. It caught Zelda in its dark gaze. A forked tongue split apart the shadowy indistinctness of its face. Zelda recoiled. A soft, choking laugh trailed the wraith as it left.

Glad to be alone, Zelda raised a trembling hand up to the magical barrier. Gingerly, she prodded it with the tip of one finger. Emerald sparks spat back at her and Zelda snapped her hand back. Covering her eyes from the residue of magic singeing the air, Zelda then turned to survey her room. Broken manacles hung from chains in the cracked wall. Jagged and uneven, the wall was flecked with tiny shards of sparkling crystal that glinted under the glare of the magic behind her. Veins of silver wound their way through the floor, casting patterns made of metallic silk. Zelda felt a pang as she thought back to her warm, homely hut back in Kokiri Village.

Her nose wrinkled. In one far corner of the cell a crude hole had been gouged into the ground. The stench hanging thick there told Zelda exactly what it was supposed to be used for. She retched.

"No weapons," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself. "Ill-prepared. Not even a clue. What else could happen?"

Zelda remembered how some of the Kokiri used to pummel large round green watermelons until they was left bruised, withered and looking strangely forlorn. That's how she felt at that moment. Like a battered melon. They'd even taken her travel pack from her. No more bread for her, then.

At least she had _some _company. Beetles with shiny obsidian shells skittered here and there, poking their way into the deep coal-black shadows that filled every corner of the room. She was surprised that there were no bones littering the floor of her cell. It would have been the perfect accompaniment. _Could have had a party. Invite all my friends. _She looked back at the magic wall.

As if in response to her thoughts, Zelda felt the pressure in the air behind her make a subtle shift. Her skin prickled. A sudden gust of wind cooled the film of sweat she hadn't even known was covering her entire body. Faint musical notes drifted towards her ears. Reality rippled.

Zelda turned slowly around.


	5. Link

**5. Link**

The Hero of Time stared back at her. "Haven't we just met?"

Zelda pressed back against the cold, grimy wall. Now she knew the world had gone mad. She wondered if this was just a projection of her bruised mind. She decided to test her theory by answering. "That…that was days ago."

"Really? Are you sure? Maybe it was just an hour and _maybe _you fell asleep and it _felt_ like days. Yes?"

"Yes, I'm _quite _sure, thank you!"

He held up his ocarina to his eyes. "Hmm."

He was real then. "Who _are_ you?" She was tired of asking questions yet again. Tired of being left in the dark. Sometimes, quite literally. Peeling herself off the wall, Zelda decided that it was time for answers. "Your name, I mean."

"Link. Just Link. I don't do surnames."

Zelda blinked. She hadn't expected him to answer.

He looked around. Sucked his teeth. Nodded thoughtfully. "So. Decorate this yourself?"

Zelda blinked again. "It's a prison cell, not my home!"

"Ah, of course," he said, nodding again. "Right."

This was just too much. "Look. I'm tired. I'm confused. Go easy on me. Please." She smoothed down the front of her tunic and took a good look at the man that had so recently haunted her dreams. He was a lot older – a little over forty perhaps, or more; not that she was a very good judge, but she _had_ seen pictures of older people – and yet he had the slender frame of a much younger man. His hair was greying, that was certain, but his eyes; it was his eyes that betrayed just how much he had seen, just how much he had endured.

Zelda smiled inwardly. _Listen to me. Out in the world for a few days and suddenly I think I can read everyone like a book. Forget that. I sound like a book. _

"Tell me," she said at last. "How did you find me?"

"I didn't," Link replied in his soft voice. "The Ocarina of Time." He held up the porcelain instrument for a moment. Zelda's eyes focused in on it. "It brought me to you. Again. It tends to do things like that." He slipped it back into his coat. "Still. Everything for a reason, I suppose. That's what I always say. Well. I think I did." He shook his head. "Never mind."

"Really. For a reason." Zelda's voice curdled. Life the past few days had been nothing more than a mad jumble to her. "You know this how, exactly?"

"I don't. It's a feeling. Like when you're thinking of someone and they just turn up on your doorstep. Ever get that? Weird, isn't it?" Link folded his arms. "Except with me, it's more than that. Like a connection. A connection to" – he struggled for words - "…some sort of…conscious singularity. Beautiful, whatever it is. And the ocarina is linked to it, too…" The distracted look left his face and steel flooded his voice. "Now. Where exactly are we?"

Zelda's head throbbed. "You're not making much sense."

"Quite right, love. Listen, it's like this." He leaned closer. "Can you, just for a moment, forget about every single thing you think you know? Every single thing you've learned. Can you do that?"

"No."

"Excellent." Ignoring Zelda's baffled expression, he went on. "Right. Here we are in Hyrule. I'm here – hello!" He waved. "And so are you. Now. Imagine. Just imagine. Imagine that there are, out there, somewhere, other Hyrules. Almost the same as this one. Not quite, but almost. And in every single one, there's a copy of every single person. Another you. Another me. Multiply by near infinity. You follow, no?"

"Lots of Hyrules," Zelda replied, not really following at all. "Different, but the same. With lots of…Zeldas. And everyone else."

"Exactly." Link grinned. "Now imagine if one of those Hyrules had been changed. Altered in some way; tiny changes, massive changes, the lot. Changed for a reason." He paused, and Zelda waited, letting the strange ideas sink in. Link's eyes turned to flint, his stare intense. "Now, stop imagining. Because that Hyrule – that changed Hyrule – is _this_ Hyrule."

Zelda's mind whirled. "This…Hyrule?"

"Right. Now. Imagine again. Imagine that, out of one of the _other_ unchanged Hyrules, someone had been plucked from their world and placed into this new one. Again, for a reason."

Zelda looked at him with a wary eye. "And that someone would be…you?"

"In my world, you were a princess," Link replied. "Then, a queen. A good one, too. Lost a hand, she did. In battle, mind you."

"Princess…?" The world suddenly seemed a colder and more unfamiliar place, as though some important fabric of reality had been torn from its moorings. "Princess? Queen?"

Zelda caught something in Link's eyes. A shadow, a darkness she'd glimpsed at the first time they'd met. Understanding dawned in her heart. She might be young, but she certainly wasn't stupid. "So," she said, not quite sure how to put her musings into words. It felt a little strange saying it. "In that world…was I, like, you know…"

Link's cheek twitched. "What?"

"Was I…close to you? Like friends, or something?"

His face darkened. "Not you. Her." Link looked away. He flicked away a beetle that had decided to crawl up his coat. "You're the Zelda of this world. I'm the Link of that world. _Any_way…there's a man. Named Dragmire. Ganondorf Dragmire. Evil, nasty bloke. Shows up in all the Hyrules as well. Dies most of the time. Well. Don't we all. But he usually dies at the end of some long torturous battle with…his enemy." He looked back at her. "Here, in this Hyrule, he's done something. Changed things. And he's pulled me from my world into this one. I need to know why." His eyes glittered. "And then put an end to him."

Zelda shivered. The deadly certainty in his words rang deep in her soul. She decided not to focus on that. "Changed things, though?" she said. "But how?" Zelda wrapped her arms around herself, interested despite her misgivings. "How can anyone change a whole world?"

"Oh, there are ways. You wouldn't believe how many people have tried." He glanced at her again. "There's this thing called the Triforce. In my world, anyway. Maybe there's one here, too. I don't know. But whoever possesses it is granted his most ardent desire. Ganondorf got his hands on it. Must have." A wry smile touched his lips. "He's waited long enough for it."

Zelda watched him drumming his fingers on his arm. "So," she said. "You're really not from my world? No joke?"

"The ocarina came with me," Link continued, as though she hadn't spoken. "I don't know how. And, somehow…_somehow_... I managed to touch the essences of other Links from other places. The other Hyrules. It changed me. The way I look. The way I speak. Even the way that I think. The memories were mine, the experiences were mine. But they, these other Links, they're all imprinted on me, somehow. All rolled into one. _Me_. Though some of them are stronger than others." He fell silent, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

Zelda struggled to make sense of his words. "This is like talking to Mido."

Link snapped back to himself. "Mido? Fantastic name. I had a cucco named Mido once. Loved him to bits." He paused. "Had to eat him during the last great famine, mind you."

Zelda decided that her poor, beleaguered brain needed this conversation to stay on track. "The Ocarina…of Time, you said?"

"The Ocarina of Time!" He grinned. He looked quite maniacal when he did it, too. "It lets me go anywhere and anywhen I want to." Link considered that. "Well. Anywhere and when _it_ wants to."

"And…you want to do what, exactly?" Her mind began to grasp at the alien concepts. "Undo what this …Ganondorf…did? What would that do to us? To me? Kill us?"

Link flinched, as though the thought hadn't struck him. "No. Well, yes, it would." He held up his hands to ward off Zelda's angry retort. "But that's not what I want." His voice seemed to turn inward. "Look. He's brought me here for a reason. A purpose. I just want to know what that purpose is." He sprang to his feet, making Zelda jump. "And to do that, we need to get out of here. So, come on, chop-chop."

Zelda followed him with incredulous eyes. "What, you're just going to walk out the door?" She flew to her feet and crossed the room in an instant. "There's a witch out there. She killed Deku!"

Link grinned. "Just watch me."

"Hoo!" They froze and both looked up. Kaepora Gaebora hung upside down from the ceiling.

"You!" spat Zelda. "You led me into this! Said it was my destiny and –" She frowned. "How did you get _in_ here?"

"Your destiny it is." Yellow eyes shone from the shadows. "I didn't say that there wouldn't be hardships on the way." He looked from one to the other. "For both of you. Do not feel discouraged, even during the toughest times. Together. You must work together. Hoo!" His feathers ruffled and he rotated his head. "Now. Did you get all that?"

"Er…yes," Zelda replied, puzzled. "It was all really perfectly clear, to be honest."

"Then I shall depart!" Another flurry of wings, and the owl vanished.

Zelda blinked. "He's…really quite useless, isn't he?"

"You're telling me." Link moved past her. "Right. What do we have here, then?"

"What I was trying to tell you." She felt her shoulders slump. "We can't escape. There's a magical barrier keeping us in."

"There _was._" Link brought the Ocarina of Time to his lips and played a few notes. The glowing wall rippled, sending waves of light blossoming out over its surface, then bulged slowly. There was a rip, like damp cloth torn asunder, then the barrier collapsed in on itself in a spray of light.

Zelda stared in shock. "How did it…"

"O ye of little faith," Link replied. "Basic level magical wall. The Song of Opening undid it easily."

"The what of what?" Zelda asked. "Wait. Why can't your ocarina just get us out of here?"

"Like I said. A feeling. I just know when the ocarina wants the Song of Time played."

"The Song of-" Zelda shook her head in exasperation. "Why exactly should I believe a single word you've said? You know…about all those Hyrules."

Link's deep gaze met hers. "Because you feel it, too. You don't know why, but you do. And because" -his eyes flashed -"of your dreams. You believe."

Zelda wanted to open her mouth to protest. She wanted to look away. She couldn't do either. A tingle ran down her spine. She didn't know why, but he was right. Pieces of a puzzle she hadn't even known she'd been playing slotted together perfectly in her mind. She believed.

A rhythmic squeaking made them both look up. A long, thin shadow fell across the opening of their prison. Eyes narrowed, Zelda craned her neck for a better look. The shadow resolved itself into the shape of a squeaking mine-cart, pushed along by one of the wraiths. It froze when it saw them.

Link smiled. "Alright?"

The wraith hissed and drew a sword.

"Excuse me, mate," Link said cheerily. "I can tell you're really busy and we won't keep you. We were just wanting to escape and were wondering if you could offer some assistance…?"

It responded by leaping in and dealing a glancing blow to the Hero's jaw. Link staggered back, and shook his head. He looked up. "Harsh."

The wraith cut blurred arcs into the air with his blade. It hissed again.

Link pushed Zelda back into the safety of the cell. He drew his own sword. "I take it that's a 'no,' then."

The wraith lunged. Moving as gently as a lover's whisper, Link spun away from the tip of the blade. He swung his own sword up at an angle, driving it into the other weapon in a shower of sparks. They stood there, blades locked.

"Right. What are you meant to be, then?" Link whispered. Their swords trembled. "Let's see. No flesh. Ethereal form. _Slightly _weak upper body."

The wraith's mouth split into a grin.

Link ploughed on "Oh, teeth. That's nice. Tongue, too. Some sort of physical connection to this world then. That's good. Means my sword will work. Would've been really embarrassing otherwise." Still they held their deadlock. Beads of sweat began to trickle down Link's sword arm. He struggled to speak. "Let me guess. Different dimension, no? Warrior race?"

A hiss greeted the Hero's words.

"Oh, _really_?" Link said, blinking in surprise. "Well. I'm the Hero of Time. You lose."

Snarling, the wraith twirled away, its sword disengaging. Another swing came for Link's head; he glided under it, ducking, then weaved his sword-arm through the creature's flank. The wraith staggered back.

In that instant, Link brought his blade back up, razor-edge slicing through the shadow's sword. It snapped in two, the upper half fluttering upwards before it clanged to the ground.

Link grinned and drew back his sword arm. "Tally-_hoooo_!" The blow sent the wraith flying. It slid down the rails screeching, then slowed to a halt, smoke trailing from its limbs. It didn't move after that. Zelda watched it all open-mouthed. She looked up at her rescuer. Whatever else this Link may be, he was just what she needed at the moment: Help.

Link sheathed his sword, glanced at Zelda, and then jabbed a finger at the mine cart. "In!"

Zelda stared. "In there?"

"Yes, in there," Link replied. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Um. We could die…?"

"You're very negative, do you know that? Now." He clicked his fingers. "Get in."

Zelda hesitated. _What choice do I have?_

Clutching the side of the cart with both hands, Zelda sprang inside in one deft motion. Link grabbed the cart, gave it an almighty shove, and then leaped in himself. Zelda tumbled as they shot off down the rails, the cart wheezing and shuddering like an old man whose lungs and body were too frail to keep him moving.

Zelda scrambled to her knees and peered over the edge. Lantern-light fled past her so swiftly that each lamp bled into the other, merging into a luminous ribbon that followed the twists and turns of the narrow passageway. The wind, first hot then cold, roared and sang in her ears, stinging her skin, bringing tears to her eyes and drawing patterns in her long, flowing hair. She gasped for breath as her stomach lurched in time with the sharp corners the cart sped around, her eyes widening as she saw how close to the wall the cart's shivering wooden frame came. Her heart sped.

Link sat perched at the front, his brow beetled. Zelda glanced up at him, the wind screaming around her in chorus, and struggled to find the breath to speak. Air flowed into her mouth far too quickly and she hitched, gasping.

"Aren't…aren't…"she began, her teeth chattering. "Aren't you scared?"

Link kept his gaze steady. "All the time."

The cart pitched around another corner, the rattling boards tilting so violently that Zelda's heart froze in her chest, so certain she was that they were all going to tumble out into the gloom. A slant of air fell down her face, chilling her skin.

Link called back to her. "What is this place?"

"Lon Lon Hill," she replied. "In the hill. A witch is here. Crazy Tracy." Zelda struggled for breath again. "She has those monsters, those Darknuts. She's killed Sages. All of them. She killed Deku. The Great Deku Tree. Have to see the prince. Warn him. She said the castle is next."

Link's eyes narrowed. "Is that so?"

The cart rattled onwards. Something metallic snapped with a _ping_ then tinkled into the distance. "Aren't you worried," Zelda asked, "that those shadow creatures will find us?"

"They already have!"

Zelda screamed as a writhing, snakelike shadow leapt hissing onto the cart, crimson light streaming from its eyes, a sword nestling in the palm of one ghostly hand. Tilting up on its side on two wheels, the far edge of the cart grazed the wall, sending a blossom of splinters spiralling into the air. Broken wooden planks spun before Zelda's eyes and then clattered to the floor. Link shoved her behind him and pulled his sword free.

The creature struck first, its free palm crunching into the Hero's jaw, sending him reeling. A second blow followed, and then a third, slamming Link into the side of the cart. Zelda watched stunned as Link slid backwards, his eyes glazing.

The wraith waited, like a cat on its haunches, then with another hiss it pounced, its sword flashing as it lunged. Regaining his senses in a flash, Link deftly skewed the blow aside, then riposted with a graceful thrust that sent the creature soaring backwards. It scrabbled for a handhold as the Hero of Time followed through, launching himself forward, swinging his free arm up, and cracking an elbow into the wraith's jaw. The creature flew from the cart with a shriek, shattering into the wall.

Link slumped to one side. "Ouch," he said, wheezing. A trickle of crimson ran from the corner of his mouth. He dabbed it with a finger and held it up to his eyes. "First blood to them. Well. Apart from the one outside the cell."

Zelda felt numb. "Are you-"

A heavy thump fell upon the cart. Zelda whirled around, saw another wraith climbing up from the rear. A whip spat from the shadow's hand, and curled itself around Link's wrist with a crack. The Hero of Time looked up, his eyes stricken with panic. The wraith's mouth split into a grin. Link's face hardened into a snarl.

His hand snapping shut into a fist, the Hero of Time dug his boots into the quivering floorboards and tugged. The wraith flew over their heads, smacked into the low ceiling above, then collapsed into the gloom.

Link dropped to his knees again, shaking his head as he tried to steady himself. Zelda didn't even have time to think – her vision became filled with a nightmare of shadow and needle-like teeth as yet another of the creatures clambered over the lip of the cart. Her mind screamed as the wraith hissed, grinning. _Not shadow! _her heart protested in painful thumps, _It's physical! You can hit it! _

Her fingers curled around one of the broken planks littered on the shivering floor. She felt the grain of the wood under her skin, felt the splinters poking into her palm, scratching at her as though they were living things themselves. She grasped it, ignoring the shooting pain that resulted, then swung it up and into the wraith's face. It struck with a satisfying thud and, with a panicked mewling, the creature tumbled away from the cart. Glancing up, her eyes caught Link's gaze. Something passed between them, then. An understanding of some sort.

The pit of Zelda's stomach fell away from her as the mine-cart pitched, screaming, to the left. Her mouth opened to let fly with a scream of her own, but it snapped shut as the cart yawed to the right, perilously close to the blur of the wall. Her mind twirled. It was a good thing she had had nothing to eat for hours, or else she would have been sick.

Urgent chanting whispers, caught on the updraft, assaulted Zelda's ears, dripping with a malice that curdled her insides, and made her veins run with ice. _Hash'a! Hash'a! Hassssssssss!_ Incomprehensible though the voices were, the intent behind them was as clear as the foam on a wave. A distant scream, dreamlike and ghostly in its quality, rang out.

The lantern lights vanished, plunging them into a pure darkness that chilled Zelda's heart, replaced only by the wind in their ears. A moment passed in the thick murk. Then, like the sprinkle of stars that littered across the sky as the veil of daylight was lifted, arrowheads of scarlet light winked awake along the walls. The wraiths peeled themselves off the rock, lazily at first, then with more urgency, slicing the air as they clawed at the passing cart. Anger batted away Zelda's fear as she her grip on her pathetic wooden weapon tightened.

Zelda glanced up as Link suddenly flinched back from the edge. The two side walls fell away – the wraiths with them - and the cavern opened out into a vast expanse. A wave of heat hit them with a roar much like a dragon's, birthing a thin film of sweat that instantly coated their bodies. Tunic flapping loudly like wet clothes slapped repeatedly against a boulder, Zelda sat up and chanced a look. They were crossing over a bridge now, a bridge that swayed back and forth over a sea of fire. The air shimmered as tongues of glowing flame licked the air, etching molten patterns that lingered even when she closed her eyes. Steel rails underneath the cart hummed and blushed crimson from the heat. Sulphur and the sharp stench of smoke clotted each labouring breath that they took. Madness, Zelda thought. This just had to be madness.

The cart rounded a corner – and what she saw there stole Zelda's breath away. A huge Darknut stood sentinel, the size of half Lon Lon hill itself, dull armour cast scarlet. Zelda shrank back.

"It's not been triggered yet," Link called. "I'd wager that that's what Hyrule Castle has to be afraid of." He pointed. "Get ready!"

The track up ahead ended abruptly in a dead-end. Where an opening should have been, there was now only a wall of unevenly distributed wooden boards, set into the rock with nails that were twisted and bent; some were fused into the surface from the heat. Her mind aflame with panic, Zelda clutched the side of the cart and looked over the edge, her desperate mind hoping to find a thin sliver of hope by which they could flee. All she saw was one of the remaining loose boards flutter away from the cart like a feather, plummeting into the ferocious abyss below where it was instantly swallowed up by the flame.

"Right. Time to make our exit, I believe," Link cried. A wraith's face sprang up at the cart's side. Link punched it. "You're not coming." He turned to Zelda. "Get down and hold on!"

The cart re-entered a tunnel just before the dead end. Time stood still. The wind died to a distant roar. The heat hung in the air like a mist. Zelda's heart stopped. Her breathing held. She braced herself.

When the impact came it sent such a fierce shockwave of pain running through her body that she almost tumbled headlong into unconsciousness. The sound of splintering wood was horrific, like an explosion in her head. Her heart reeled as she realised that the cart was riding the wind, light as a feather, overturning as it did so. They tumbled out, their limbs all awry, and crashed into the ground in a painful heap.

"She tries to escape!" a woman's voice roared. "Seize her! Seize them both!"

Zelda just had to time to glance up, time to see that they were in a hollow spherical room decked out with columns of marble encrusted in jewels. The witch strode regally towards them, her face a portrait of smouldering fury, and two of the wraiths somersaulted into the air, claws sprouting forth from their fingers, ready for the attack.

Link sprang to his feet instantly, his sword drawn. He caught the first wraith with a neat downward slash, twirled elegantly on his heel, then with a fluid upswing sent the other creature flying into the far wall where it slithered to the ground, unconscious. The flash of Link's blade reflected off of his narrowed eyes.

Crazy Tracy rounded on them, her face snarling, lightning crackling from her raised fingers. Zelda saw Link step in front of her, saw him bring the Ocarina of Time to his lips. Musical notes played on the wind. Time froze. Reality blurred in Zelda's eyes. A strip of sapphire light curled itself around the two of them. All sound vanished.

The whole world evaporated into milky nothingness.


	6. Market Day

**6. Market Day**

And then reality returned with a crack.

Zelda saw several things all at once: the battlements looming up ahead of her, midnight blue pennants snapping in the wind; the wide drawbridge beneath her boots, warped wood trembling under the weight of dozens of steam powered carriages; a little Goron boy, grinning as he gleefully ignored the protests of his mother, leaning out the window of one such vehicle. Zelda cringed. Seeing that made her want to go up there and sit the boy up straight, safe and sound.

Everything that happened next was a whirlwind. A timber plank in the bridge splintered. The large front wheel of the Goron carriage plummeted into the fresh hole, flinging the coach to one side. The Goron boy flew out the window, arms dangling as he pitched towards the thick, dark moat below. A woman's scream knifed the air. Zelda shared the sentiment, her jaw dropping.

A blur burst past her. _Link_. He sprinted, slid on his feet across the bridge, his torso winding as he approached the beleaguered carriage, and then snatched the boy from the window in one smooth, fluid motion. Zelda watched him spin to halt, plant the Goron down on the bridge and then– pausing only to pat the boy on his head – slip into the now raucous and bewildered crowd. Zelda flinched. Her eyes had lost him.

The Goron parents ran to their son, the tear-stricken mother almost crushing him in a fierce hug. Grinning, the boy had a look of total exhilaration etched on his oval features. His father looked around, brow furrowed. "I say, brothers and sisters, did you see that? Who was that man? Did anyone see that man?"

Zelda wished she could answer him. Swallowed by the seething mass of life, she looked here and there, but could find no sign of the Hero of Time. Her heart tightened. _Oh, please. One little rescue and now you're scared of losing the old guy?_

Someone tugged her sleeve. Zelda found sapphire eyes looking at her. Tension melted in her heart. "Quick!" Link whispered, his head down. "Come on!" Boots drumming on the wood, the two of them made their way out of the crowd and then slowed to a stroll as they approached the marble archway that led into the fort. Zelda flicked a glance over her shoulder. The Gorons were surrounded now, and besieged by a flurry of questions. She turned back.

"You knew that was going to happen," she said. "You've been through this before."

Link smiled. "Now you're catching on. The ocarina keeps bringing me back to this day. This exact point, to be precise. There's something here I need to know. Something that's passed me by so far."

"So you've practised this rescue," she said. Her voice dropped. "No wonder it looked so rehearsed."

Link stiffened. "It did not look so rehearsed!"

"Did." Zelda resisted the urge to make a childish face. "I liked the whole sliding across the bridge thing. Very nice." She mimicked the move, waving her arms. "Hence the 'Hero of Time,' right?"

Link glanced at her. "Something like that, yes."

"Anyway. If you've been here before, shouldn't we be seeing, like, more of you?" She looked around to see if she could spot him. Or them. Or – _Oh, never mind._ "You know. Lots of different…'yous.'"

"Not how it works." Link paused for a heartbeat, flicked at the alabaster wall of the battlements. The crowd was moving again, and the two of them stood in the calm centre as people pooled around them. "Every time the ocarina sends me back to a previous point, it wipes out my previous visit there. The only record of it, the only trace and memory, is right here." He tapped his head.

"Oh," she said. "So. Why didn't you want those people to notice you?"

"There's a clue here somewhere," Link replied, looking away. "I'm just not seeing it."

Zelda's eyes narrowed. _Fine. Be like that._

Link ploughed on. "I wonder. It must be something so blatantly obvious that it must have passed my eyes a million times. Maybe…do you think?...Maybe he's here as well, yes?"

Zelda stopped short. "What, Ganondorf? No, no, no." She folded her arms and pinned him with a flinty stare. "How long before that witch gets her giant monster Darknut going?"

"Hours, perhaps." He shrugged, dodging one of the carriages as it hooted in anger. "Maybe days. What of it?"

"What do you mean? We're going to stop it, aren't we?" Her hands clenched and unclenched. "That's what the owl meant. About working together, right?"

Link gazed down at her. "Maybe he meant that _you_ can help _me_ find out what Ganondorf's after."

"That witch killed Deku!"

"Oh, here we go." Link rolled his eyes. "Here comes the whole spiel about setting things right, fighting for justice, and so on and so forth. Ad nauseam, infinitum and…and…blah blah blah." He hurried past a sheepish look. "Come on, out with it. Maybe the rest of my hair will go grey by the time you've finished. Although, I could do with a laugh. You're going to slap me at the end of it, yes?" His voice dropped to a mutter. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Unbowed, Zelda pressed on. "Link – I can call you Link, right? – Look. That thing. It's going to kill the prince. Going to kill us all. Kill _you_. You'll die."

"Been there. Done that."

"What, you've been-?" Zelda paused, her temple throbbing.

"I got better."

She shook her head. "Don't you care?"

"There are always people dying. Everywhere. Right this minute. Do you care about them? Or only when it's in your face?"

"I-" Zelda couldn't find a riposte. She pursed her lips.

"You reckon the world can't get by perfectly fine without your help?" Link said. "Ego, that's what I call it."

"So you don't care."

A shadow flitted across his eyes. "I used to."

"And now? What do you care about now?"

Link held her gaze. "I care about getting home."

Zelda's eyes softened. An epiphany blossomed to life in the deepest part of her soul. "Funny that," she replied, her voice soft. "Same here."

_I keep changing my mind like the wind, _Zelda mused. _Is that what life is? Always feeling lost at sea?_ But the thought of the witch with Deku's blood on her hands hardened Zelda's resolve. _My people._

Something diminished in Link's stance as well. "Look. Listen. The witch is coming, I get that. Her Darknut pet, too. Let's just cross that particular drawbridge when we get to it; sound fair? Now let's cross _this _drawbridge before we're noticed."

Zelda stood her ground. "Promise me."

"What?"

"Promise me you'll try to stop her."

Link let out a breath. "I'll see what I can do."

"You do care," Zelda said before he could turn way. "You saved that Goron boy. You saved me in the forest."

"Shall we go?" he replied, walking off under the arch.

Zelda sighed. Just as she was about to follow him in, something made her glance over her shoulder. In the distance, like a faded painting, she spied the outline of Lon Lon Hill. Her skin prickled. She hurried after Link.

The ebb of people thinned out here, the noise fading. Zelda watched as a single solitary leaf, caught in the wind and buffeted to and fro, slowly sank to the ground, gliding from side to side before it finally came to rest at her feet. The motion soothed something in her soul, and she felt a calm that hadn't been present for days. Maybe they could rest here a while. The image of the giant Darknut flashed in her mind. Hope dissolved to a cinder.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Wait and see," Link replied. He nodded at a passer-by. "'Afternoon!" The other Hylian raised a hand and nodded back.

Zelda found her eyes wandering around. Whitewashed houses hemmed in the narrow, cobbled streets. Voices floated in the air; laughs, arguments, barter.

"'Afternoon!" Link said. A man with a twig in his mouth sniffed and responded with a gruff "'Afternoon'" himself.

A shadow from a flock of birds speckled the sunlight kissing the streets. Here and there, Zelda spotted armoured lancemen, their spears and helmets agleam. Their eyes tracked her for a moment, then grew bored and looked away. Still, it made her skin react with a nervous prickle. _But we haven't done anything wrong…_

"'Afternoon!" Link again.

Zelda twitched. "Why do you keep reminding them its afternoon?" she muttered, distracted. "It's obvious, isn't it?" She missed Link's incredulous look in response.

The narrow streets opened out. Not for the first time on this jaunt, Zelda found herself losing her breath. "What is this place?"

Link stopped. "Castle Town. Hyrule Market, to be precise." He folded his arms. "It's quite something, no?"

It certainly was. Zelda could only comprehend it as a hive of life, buzzing with voices. Crowds of people thronged around the stalls and shops. Traders hawked their wares, trying to outdo each other in volume, and flicked away winged insects that got too curious about their goods. Giggling children, tunics flapping, chased barking puppies. Circling the entire town a wide path allowed for the passage of the steam powered carriages.

They stopped beside one of the stalls. Grease stained jars filled with murky liquid lay one atop of the other in a haphazard mountain. Link swept one jar off the table and brought it up to his eyes.

"Ah ha," he said softly. "Pickles."

Zelda arched an eyebrow. "Pickles? Is that important?"

"Pickles," said Link. "Pickles are cucumbers soaked in evil."

He dropped the jar back onto the stall with a thump, then moved off with a swish of his coat. Zelda stood there for a moment, utterly perplexed, and then hurried after him.

Sights, sounds and smells assaulted Zelda's senses. Her eyes found a young man standing tall with back stiff, his face burning with passion. "Save the Zora!" he cried, shaking a porcelain bowl that jingled with coin. He stood on a raised dais fixed to one of the houses. A low fence penned him in. "Stop the slaughter!" On the wall of the house behind him, a large unfurled scroll proclaimed: _Stop Zora Hunting Now! _ and _Endangered Species! _Judging from the unkind glances he was receiving, Zelda thought that maybe the fence was there for his protection.

Elsewhere, she saw skewered meat sizzling on tongues of flame, the patrons nearby licking fat from their fingers. Link glanced at her. "I don't know about you, but I'm famished. How about some breakfast, yes?" He frowned. "Or are we onto lunch now?" Zelda could only grin in reply.

He bought a pair of skewers, one for each of them. Hot juice ran down her tongue as Zelda bit into the meat, roasted onions melting in her mouth. _Real food at last! _She closed her eyes, her body tingling with warmth. It didn't take them long to finish.

"See, up ahead?" Link gestured, breaking her out of her reverie. He wiped the grease from his fingers with a white cloth he'd just procured from one his pockets. Squinting, Zelda saw the slim towers she'd spotted from the train on her way to Lon Lon. Sunlight glinted off the white surface, dazzling her eyes. Link explained: "Hyrule Castle."

Zelda found her eyes drawn to the right. An airship floated there, tethered to the ground as people boarded from below. Link noticed her attention. "Used be the Temple of Time, that place. Well. Not here. In my world."

Zelda glanced at him. "Was there a Deku in your world, too?"

Link hesitated for a moment. "He died, just like he did here," he said at last. "Murdered. Ganondorf's work." Link let out a breath. "It's what brought me to the castle. To find the princess – well, find you…her…" He gestured in frustration. "She gave me the Ocarina of Time. Eventually I put an end to Ganondorf, but not after he'd wrecked Hyrule." His thoughts turned inward. "It was rubble here. All of it. ReDead everywhere." Blinking, Link came back to himself. "A bit of time-travelling, a bit of fighting and he was done. We put everything right. It didn't end there, though. We had a long life. Zelda and I, that is. My Zelda." His cheek twitched. "There was the Gate. The Keys. The whole Freelander thing. The-"

Link's words died in his throat. Zelda glanced up, saw the colour drain from his tight face. She looked ahead, flinched as sunlight caught her eyes, and then saw a young flame-haired girl – not much older than Zelda herself – walking towards them with a smile.

"Hey," the girl said.

"Hey," Zelda replied, an uncertain smile flashing on and off her lips. She glanced at Link. He seemed to have taken on the general demeanour of a statue. _Great. Thanks a lot._

The girl looked them both up and down. "Your clothes. They're so…different. You're not from around here, are you?"

Zelda shrugged. "You could say that."

"Listen," the girl replied, still smiling. "My name's Malon. My Da' owns Lon Lon Ranch." Her smile faltered for a moment when Zelda stared blankly back at her. Malon cleared her throat. "Well. I can't seem to find him. Da' that is. He went to deliver some milk-"

Link burst into life. "Talon's fine. Sleeping. He's sleeping. Too much Red Potion. Always warned him about that. Would have, I mean. Had I ever met him. Which I haven't. Clearly." Words fell from his lips in a torrent. "He'll be back in a jiffy. Don't worry. Fine. Everything's fine. He'll be along shortly, he'll find you, take you back home to your cuccos, and you'll live out the rest of your days in total, total bliss. Don't. Worry. At. All. And whatever you do, don't –" He wagged a finger. "I mean, do _not_ antagonise the poultry. Good day. Zelda, we're off."

Zelda found herself dragged away by her sleeve. She caught sight of Malon, standing there open-mouthed. The farmgirl looked as confused as Zelda felt. With a tug, she pulled out of Link's grasp. "Friend of yours?"

"I'd really rather not talk about it."

Zelda felt her muscles clench in exasperation. "You're impossible!"

"Literally."

She let out a breath. A thought touched her mind. "How come," she said, "there isn't another Link here, then? The Link from this world, I mean."

The Hero of Time favoured her with a dark look. "There just isn't." His voice softened. "Like you said. I'm impossible."

_It's like talking to a Kokiri Toad. _That image made Zelda changed track. "If you knew Deku, did you know the Kokiri?"

"I _was_ one of the Kokiri." Link stepped over a pile of rotten fruit now turned to sludge. Flies buzzed around their prize. "For a while, at least. Had a fairy, too. Not at the beginning, though."

"I...I don't have a fairy."

"No?" He glanced at her. "Well. I did notice. You're not missing out, don't worry."

"You didn't care for yours?"

"Oh, I did. It's just…" - he became introspective again – "We all move on, don't we, love? And the things we thought we couldn't live without as children don't seem so important when you're older."

Zelda tugged at her hair absent-mindedly. "Oh." Her hopes duly deflated - not to mention that she didn't like the implication that she was a child - so she decided not to follow the conversation through. One of the traders, a large gap in his toothy smile, tried to beckon her towards his stall. It was stacked with painted ornaments, as far she could see. She waved him off. "Say, how is it that you know so much about all this, anyway? You know, about there being other Hyrules?"

"Questions, questions, questions!" Link snapped. "You're just brimming with them today, aren't you?"

"Well, excuse me for being curious," Zelda replied, her voice blazing. "It's just nice to know what I'm getting into." She cast her glittering eyes in his direction. "Unless you're just used to people doing whatever you say."

Link opened his mouth, then glanced down at her and smiled instead. "Well. You got me there. I apologise." She was surprised to see that he meant it. "I am used to it, to be honest. Everywhere I go, Hero of Time, people craning to hear every word – that sort of thing. Respect. Not good for the old ego. Well. Too much isn't. If it becomes adoration." He let out a breath. "Thank you for, ah, enlightening me. Really, though. I didn't mean to snap, love."

Zelda looked away, slightly embarrassed. "It was, erm, nothing."

They walked on for a bit. The market, with its mix of voices and general clamour, gave their silence a background hum. She tried. Zelda really tried. But she just couldn't help it. Amusement touched her lips and made them curl. She began to giggle. "Enlightening you, eh?"

"Leave it out. It was the best I could come up with."

She giggled some more. "You should look at your face right now!"

"What?" Link stopped short. "What?"

Zelda sniggered. "You are trying _so_ hard to not look awkward." She glanced behind him. "Oh, can your back get any more stiffer? No? Come on, I can't hear it creak yet."

Link's eyes narrowed. "It's times like this where I remember that you really were _young_ once."

"I'm a different Zelda, remember?" she replied. "Anyway. Respect wherever you went? That whole Hero of Time thing again, is it? Isn't that just a little bit pretentious?" They began walking again. "What were you? A prince? A lord of some city?"

Link's eyebrow arched. "_So._ To your question. When I was pulled out of my world, I fell into some sort of magical whirlpool-type-vortex thingy."

"Is that the scholarly term?"

"Don't interrupt." He tried to glare daggers at her, but it just made Zelda bite her lip in case she giggled again. "Anyway. There I met Rauru. Sage of Light in my world. I don't know which Hyrule he came from – maybe this one before it was changed - but he told me enough. Told me what I needed to know before he…" Link blinked. "Well. Never mind."

"But he didn't tell you what Ganondorf wanted?"

"No."

"Oh." Zelda found her attention taken by the Market once again. Her eyes wandered back to the young Zora activist. She paused. "Hey…" A little boy was creeping up on the man, beady eyes fixed on the coin-laden bowl. Righteous fury ignited in Zelda's veins. "Hey!"

She sprinted across the Town Square, dodging, weaving and ducking through the crowd, then somersaulted over the fence to land directly in front of the little boy. Timber juddered under her boots. The boy looked up, shocked, his hand frozen in mid-air. Zelda snatched it in hers.

The activist wheeled away in panicked confusion. "What is the meaning of this?" he cried, eyes wide. "What goes on here?"

Zelda ignored him. "You little sneak!" She shook the boy's arm. "What did you think-" She paused as she got her first clear sight of him. Tattered rags draped a thin body, more bones visible than flesh. His oval eyes glistened in a dirt-painted face. Zelda's heart sank.

"Why…you could have asked…" Releasing her grip, she began to pat all over her tunic, searching for the rupees she knew that she didn't have. Her gaze softened. "Look. If you just come with me, I'm sure I could find you something warm. To eat. Or to wear." She smiled. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

The boy regarded her with a haunted look. He opened his mouth to speak – then kicked her in the shins. "Leave me alone, lady!" He was gone in a flurry of hurried steps, pausing only to turn around to favour her with a rude gesture.

Grimace planted firmly on her face, Zelda staggered back, her leg throbbing. She winced. A shadow fell on her back, and she turned around.

"Are we done?" Link had his arms folded again. He watched the fleeing boy dissolve into the crowd. "You can't help people who don't want to be helped, Zelda. Learned that the hard way." He cocked his head. "Or one of the Links did, anyway."

Zelda glared. "You're like a Deku Fortune Nut, you know that?" She shook her aching leg. "Crack it open and there's a little scroll inside full of little…little...Deku-isms!"

"Experience, love. You should learn to-" Link frowned. "Who is _that_?"

Both Zelda and the Zora activist followed Link's gaze. It was a scroll, pinned to the wall.

"That?" The activist's face reddened. "Well, it's one of mine actually. Drew it myself. It's Zora's Domain, if you want to-"

"No. _That." _Link pointed. It was another scroll, this one depicting the head and shoulders of a young man, neck erect, a crown adorning his head.

An uncertain smile danced on the activist's lips. "Are you joking? You are, aren't you? It's a jest, isn't it?"

"Humour me."

"Oh, come on. Who put you up to this? Was it Klave?" He looked here and there. "Is he hiding around here?"

A sudden breeze made Link's long coat billow. His eyes grew dark. "Tell me. _Now._"

The activist swallowed. "That's the prince," he said. "Everyone knows that. You've never seen a picture of him before? Are you from Calatia?"

Link looked at the activist. "The prince?" He looked at Zelda. "The prince?" He looked at the picture. "That's Ganondorf!"

"No, no," the activist replied. "It's definitely the prince. Not a cannonball at all."

"The prince? Just the prince? He doesn't have a name?"

The activist's eyes hardened as he drew himself up to his full height. "No one outside the Family speaks their names. No one uncouth even knows them. The Royal Family's hallowed names sullied by our commoner tongues? It wouldn't be right."

"I see," Link replied. "I apologise."

The activist sniffed. "It's quite alright."

"Interesting man, this prince of yours." Link blinked. "Ours. Prince of ours." He cleared his throat. "Heard he's done a lot of good. Bit young, though, no?"

"He's a great man." The activist's neck stiffened with pride. A moment later uncertainty flickered on his face. "Well. If only he'd listen about the Zora crisis –"

"And, what, he's here? At the castle? Today?"

"Well, of _course_ he is. Tomorrow is the Night of Choosing, after all."

"Thanks a lot, mate. We'll be off." Link rummaged in his pockets, then plinked a shiny jade rupee into the man's bowl. "All my regards to Ruto. She's still around, isn't she?"

The activist was aghast. "My good man! We do not speak the names of-"

"Alright, alright." Link raised his palms. "I get the picture."

He tugged Zelda to one side. She pulled free with a wrench. _Wish he'd just __**ask **__me to follow him instead of dragging me around like a sack of potatoes._

Link leaned in close. "What did I tell you?" He whispered. "Everything for a reason. Just have to have a little faith."

Zelda frowned. "I thought you said Ganondorf was evil." She tested her wrist, turning it this way and that. "The prince is nothing like that."

"I don't know what he is in this world. You don't know him like I do, though. Could be all an act. Wouldn't put it past him." Link paused, thinking. "He's certainly younger for one thing. Looks about… what, seventeen, would you say?"

She shrugged. "I suppose so." She looked at him. Disquiet nudged her heart. "Back in the Warren, you said…you said you were going to put an end to him…?"

"So." Link waved her question away and gazed towards the castle. "You needed to see the prince. Now _I _need to see the prince."

The owl's words came back to her. "What, we're just going to walk into the castle, where there are soldiers and guards and no-one has a clue who we are and what we want?"

Link grinned. "What are we waiting for?"


	7. Dance of the Twilight Man

**7. Dance of the Twilight Man**

If only Mido and the others could see her now. Hiding in the reeds, watching starlight reflect off the moat, and waiting for the right moment to sneak into Hyrule Castle. Giddiness tempered Zelda's trepidation. Deku and the owl had talked about destiny. Well, if this was hers she'd decided that she'd grab it with both hands.

_If only Saria was here, too. _Her friend's smiling face flashed in her mind's eye. _I'll go back,_ Zelda decided. _Once this is over, and the witch is dealt with. I'll go back. And this time, I'll take her with me. Saria would love it!_

"What are you smirking at?"

Zelda glanced up at Link. "Oh, nothing." She huddled in closer. Crickets chirped in the undergrowth. Blades of grass tickled her face. From somewhere below her, she could hear the faint sound of someone snoring. "So, is this how life is for you all the time? Running, sneaking, fighting?"

Link looked at her suspiciously. "More or less, yes," he replied. "Not much of a life."

"No?" Zelda tucked a dangling strand of her hair behind one ear. "Thought it sounded quite exciting myself."

"It can be." His voice took on its usual soft sheen. "Actually, it is. Exciting. Me? I just make sure I have a good laugh."

Zelda sniffed as she watched his face. She was becoming quite the expert on judging character, if she said so herself. "But it doesn't make you happy, right?"

"Sitting in a barn full of straw can make you happy if you have the mind for it. Or anything that you do."

"But that's just it," Zelda replied. "That's what I mean. Before, in the forest, with the Kokiri, I was so…just so _upset _with everyone. Mostly everyone. All the time. Because I didn't have a fairy. Because of the way they treated me. But now…just a couple of days with you, and I've seen that life is so much better. Everything's better."

"Oh, really?" There was a sour twist to Link's voice. "Just like that, eh?"

A sliver of ice needled Zelda's heart. "What?" she said. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Link's grin returned. "Anyway. Sneaking, you said? I do that. Not usually with the castle, though. I'm allowed in through the doors." He paused. "Well. Most of time. Unless she's mad with me."

"Who?" Zelda felt a smile coming. "Your queen?"

"Yes. The queen." He said it in a voice that implied the conversation was over.

Zelda's high spirits returned and it made her feel just a little bit rebellious. "So, why would she be mad with you? What, you failed to save the world one time? Forgot to slay a dragon? Left a damsel in distress?"

"Leave it."

"Oh, go on. Tell me."

"It's not important."

"_Please._"

Link sighed. "Swords. Weapons. Shields," he mumbled, his eyes fixed straight ahead. He made a vague gesture with his hand. "That sort of thing."

Zelda kept prodding. "What about them? Someone stole them? You ran out? What?"

Link looked quite flustered. "I overlooked the fact that they had not been restored to their proper positional situations."

Silence.

Water sloshed in the moat below.

Zelda sniggered.

"You didn't tidy up!" She threw back her head and laughed. "Wait, wait, wait. You were kicked out because you didn't do the chores?"

"Keep it down, love."

"Why, no one's here from your world. Your secret's safe." A sudden thought made her smile vanish. "There isn't, is there? Someone here from your world?"

"No." Link's voice was hushed. "Keep it down, because the guards are back." He gazed down at the castle through a pair of thick eye glasses. His fingers twisted one lens. "There."

Zelda peered down from their hiding spot. The pair of them were lying flat on their stomachs, perched upon a small hill overlooking the steel fence that encircled the moat. The guards were there alright. Two of them, steel armour glinting with silver moonlight. Ash fell from the torches ensconced into the fence, glowed in the dark, and then sizzled into the moat.

Zelda's stomach prickled, feeling cramped and uncomfortable. She wriggled. Flattened willow reeds snapped under her every movement. Again she heard the drone of someone snoring.

"Stop fidgeting," Link said.

"Sorry," she replied, her voice low. "It's just that we've been waiting here ages. When are we going to move? You said there was a secret passage…?"

"There is." Link's eyes gleamed in the moonlight. He thrust his elbow into the spongy earth. With a soft crumble of soil, a large, dark opening appeared. "Right here."

Zelda gazed down. Withered roots nestling in clumps of earth gazed back. _Great. Another tunnel._

"I don't get it," she said. "If this is the way in, why are we watching the guards, then?"

"Oh, they know about the tunnel," Link replied. "They just don't know about this entrance. Or any of the others, to be exact. Though I can't use this one again for a while. Well. Not until the grass grows over it again." He gestured with his hand. "Anyway. They know. That's where the guards go to. They check the tunnel."

"And when they come back here…" Zelda said, a torch burning to life in her mind. She grinned. "That means they've left the tunnel unguarded."

Link beamed in return. "Exactly. Well, not completely unguarded. There's still one man posted under there. Heard them talk about him while you were busy daydreaming." His grin widened. "But I'm sure we can handle that, right?" He slipped his eyepiece back into his coat, fished around in the inside pocket, then pulled free a small, wooden slingshot. "There's just a little something I have to do first."

Procuring a tiny nut from his coat, Link pulled the straps taut, and took aim. With a snap, the nut went flying down, down, down the hill and hit a large lump nestling at the bottom. The snoring ceased instantly, replaced by confused gurgles.

"Go home, Talon," Link whispered. "She's waiting for you, mate."

Zelda's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Just how much stuff do you carry in that coat, anyway?"

"Don't ask," he replied. "Just be glad it's not a hat this time."

Before Zelda could even reply, Link slipped into the hole with little more than a ghostly whisper and a puff of soil. Zelda perched herself on the edge, and then dangled her legs over the opening. A current of cold air ruffled her trousers. She felt a sudden pressure weigh down on her back, like a slab of ice sliding under her skin. Zelda glanced over her shoulder. The night was thick, and she couldn't see it, but she felt the brooding presence of Lon Lon Hill somewhere out there in the dark. The Hill…and the witch.

Link's voice floated up to her, snapping her back to herself. "There's no danger, don't worry."

Zelda tensed. "Really? Who are you kidding?"

"Myself, most of the time."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Hope I don't regret this."

With a push, she slid inside, just as Link's voice returned, "Oh, and watch out for the-"

"Ow!" Zelda gazed down at the rusted metal nail that had grazed her side just as she had landed on her feet. She glared up at Link.

The Hero of Time looked sheepish. "I see you found it, then." He turned away, all business once again, and snapped his fingers once, twice. "Well, come on. No time to dilly-dally."

"Dilly-dally," Zelda muttered under her breath. "I'll dilly his dally…"

They followed the tunnel as it led downward into the earth. Musty air, riddled with tiny dust motes, wrapped them both in invisible cloaks and tickled Zelda's throat. _Not too bad,_ she mused. _At least there are no insects this time. _She felt Link's presence as he moved on before her in the darkness, heard the level flow of his calm breathing. It comforted her. _Definitely not as bad as last time. _The passageway levelled out, and a glow up ahead of them signified the end of the burrow. They stepped through the opening.

Zelda looked around. It wasn't what she'd expected. A large chamber sprawled open in front of her. Half-collapsed walls stood there, run through with sharp jagged cracks. Shattered pews covered with dust rested under curling tendrils of crumbling, dead ivy. Stone arches, elaborately designed, hemmed in the entranceways, and shattered marble pillars stuck out from the fissures in the ground like a line of broken, crooked teeth. Faint glowing light ran along each marble edge, giving each fallen pillar a silver lining and illuminating the entire room without any need for torchlight.

"Ruins," Zelda said. "It's like a temple or something." She caught sight of Link's perplexed face. "You weren't expecting this, were you?"

Link flicked a glance over at her. "No." His voice echoed. "This isn't here in my world. None of it. Should be just tunnels. This is different. New. Well, old, judging by the state of it. But, still." He shrugged off his disquiet. "Now. I spy stairs over there. This place must run deep under the castle." A shadow fell over his eyes as he fixed her with his gaze. "Be careful."

They didn't get far before they heard the faint sound of papery scratching. Link held up a hand: "Hold."

Zelda paused, swallowing. She heard something shuffle. "It's like those Stalchild…"

"It's not them," Link replied. He honed in on one the fallen pillars and crept in closer. "_Here,_ Skull-tutty-tutty…"

Zelda arched an eyebrow. "What are you _doing?"_

"Drawing out the critter," Link said softly. "You're not afraid of spiders, are you?"

Zelda tensed. "Actually, I met the queen-"

The _thing _scrabbled out from under the pillar in a flurry of legs. Zelda recoiled, took a stumbling step backwards. It was a spider, alright. A spider with a skull for a torso. She grit her teeth. Madness again, just madness.

Link remained impassive, his stance unchanged. The spider watched him, multiple yellow eyes fixed. It lifted a leg, tested the air in front of it, then scuttled forward. Sword flying free from his scabbard, Link met the attack with a slash of his blade. The spider exploded in a cloud of thick, green goop.

"Ugh," Zelda said.

Link wiped his blade clean. "No. Skulltula."

Zelda eyed the Hero sardonically. "Right. Just another day, huh…?"

He turned away. "Now. The stairs."

Masonry crunched under Zelda's boots as she slowly followed Link towards the stairs. _And I said it was 'exciting.' Surprised he's not on edge all the time. I would be,_ she thought._ Maybe I am. _They passed one of the fallen columns. Peering closely, she saw that the smooth, carefully carved surface glittered with some sort of strange light. The colours shifted under her eyes – first lavender, then opal, then deeper to indigo. Zelda was entranced.

A creak broke her out of her reverie. Link was testing the bottommost step of the staircase with his foot. The wood sagged under his touch, but held. Dust puffed from beneath his heel. He looked up and peered up the entire length of the stairwell. "I think we may have company," he said. "That sole guard I mentioned. Do what I do."

She did. Keeping Link in her sight, Zelda crept through the shadows on the very tips of her toes. The arched ceiling of the stairwell wept with moisture, allowing a trickle of grainy drops to fall to the ground in a steady _plink plink plink._ Pressing her back against the stone blocks roughly hewed into the walls, she slowly began to calculate the distance to the top. Misshapen rock pushed into her spine and scratched against her skin. She glanced up. A pool of torchlight marked the passageway at the tip of the stairwell. That must have been what Link had noticed earlier. Someone had lit a torch. That meant that there was someone still up there.

Seven steps to go. One…two…

Link held up a hand, bringing Zelda to an abrupt halt. He motioned for her to stay put. Heart thudding, Zelda watched as he crept up the final few stairs, his hand trailing against the rough wall. With a quick snap of his neck, Link peered into the corridor, then flung himself back into the alcove. He sucked his teeth, then looked back down the stairwell toward her.

"Dead," he said.

"What?"

"The guard," Link continued. "He's dead."

He bounded into the passageway, Zelda following quickly behind. The corridor stretched to the left, torches crackling on both walls. To the right was darkness. Link crouched beside the prone guard, and pressed his fingers against the corpse's neck.

"This was recent." He pricked his head to the right. "Feel that?"

Zelda's eyes were fixed on the corpse. The guard's hair was plastered to his scalp with a dark red blot. Frost fell onto her soul. _Dead. Really dead. _She turned her gaze onto the Hero of Time. She was surprised to see the softness in his eyes.

"It's alright," he said. "You'll be safe. Trust me."

She forced moisture back into her mouth and gave a short, sharp nod. "Everything for a reason, you said."

"True," Link replied. "Everything ends, as well. All things pass away." He stood. "Now. Do you feel that?"

Zelda cocked her head to the side, waiting. She let out a long breath and focused her thoughts. Her tunic fluttered. Something breathed against her skin. "The air," she said. "It's cold. Like a breeze." She peered into the darkened half of the corridor. "Coming from over there."

"Exactly." Link hefted one of the torches from its sconce. "Let's take a look-see, shall we?"

The sputtering light melted through the gloom as they walked. Zelda glanced over her shoulder. The other half of the corridor was receding into a dull glow as they left it behind. _Leaving the dead behind, too. _She pursed her lips, shook her head, and faced front once more. The coldness of the floor seeped through her boots and kissed her feet.

It was quite a while before they found the end. A tapestried passageway led into a large well-furnished room filled with strange, white ornaments. Crockery mostly, lining dust-coated mantelpieces that themselves surrounded chairs, a small table and a rug thick with filth. Link strode into the room, the fire trailing behind him. A clock ticked in the darkness.

_Someone lived here once, _Zelda mused. _But now it's been forgotten. _The thought made her want to wrap her arms around herself for warmth.

They spotted the source of the breeze almost immediately. The far wall was completely gone, left with nothing more than a gaping circular hole. _It's immense, _thought Zelda. _As tall as Deku…no, as tall as two Great Deku Trees._

"Ha!" said Link. "Would you look at that?" He leapt over the table, then stood in front of the opening, arms outstretched. "Recently done, too," Link said. He sniffed the air. "Oh, I'd say it either leads all the way to Lake Hylia…or to Lon Lon."

Zelda stiffened. _Lon Lon. _"It's the witch," she gasped. "She's going to put that giant Darknut through here."

"Clever, isn't she?" Link breathed. He stood for a moment, gazing, a smile plastered on his face, then, "Right. Let's blow it up."

"Blow it up? How-" A flicker of movement stole Zelda's gaze. "Did you see that? What was that?"

Another flicker. "I saw it," Link said, his hand gripping the pommel of his sword. "We're not alone here."

Before Link could formulate a reply, the temperature in the room plummeted. A ghostly whisper dropped into the silence. China crockery nestling upon a mantelpiece began to shudder. Link and Zelda whirled around, seeing every item in the room begin to tremble, then rise slowly into the air.

Link grinned. "Ha _haa!_" he cackled. "This is more like it!"

"This? We're in trouble here!"

"You wanted exciting, love?" Link replied. "_This_ is it!"

"Death by crockery is _not_ exciting!"

The crockery flew. Zelda froze. A jar struck her head, jerking it to one side. A pair of plates cracked into Link's arm.

She saw the spinning edge of a saucer slice through the air towards her. Her eyes wide, she only had time to yell before she ducked. It struck a mirror lining the wall behind her, shattering it in a shower of glass.

Link deflected two more missiles with the torch, the wood careening into the ornaments with a dull thwack. He spun, his sword sliding free from its scabbard and sliced a teacup neatly in two. More and more items flew their way, driving the two of them back. A wall loomed up behind them and -

Reality stopped with a thud. The ornaments hung in mid-air, frozen. Zelda felt cold sweat trickle down her back. She could still move, she realised, but it felt so agonisingly slow. She tried with her hand. It juddered in response. Her fingers brushed against something hard and metallic. Zelda felt something hot surge in her chest. Again, she pushed. Her hand wrapped itself around her prize. Otherworldly laughter rang out in the gloom.

She forced a glance at Link. "Was that you?"

But he wasn't listening. "Merry little dance you've led us on." He strained his neck from left to right. "Doubt you've got the power to keep this up, though. Am I right?"

As if on cue, Zelda felt blood rush back into her veins, and she stumbled forward. _Move! I can move!_ Quick as a snake, she hid her prize behind her back. No way was she going to rely on Link every single time. Some things she just had to do for herself.

The ornaments crashed into the floor in one fell swoop, layering the floor with a carpet of porcelain splinters. A small, floating figure shimmered into view.

Zelda stared. "I know you!" she gasped. "You're the Poe!"

"Nice t'meet ya again, pet." It gave a mocking half-bow. "Tracey's well angry with you. _Well_ angry."

Zelda glowered. "Tough."

Link stepped forward. "I take it you're responsible for this tunnel, then?"

It cackled. "Mistress gave me just enough power to burrow through here. A little bit more for th' show I just gave ya." It cackled again. "And one last bit to finish the two of ye off. 'Course I was supposed to use that last bit on th' guards. Don't think Tracy will mind, do ya?" Another cackle. "After that, my most deserved reward, innit!"

"And what would that be, mate?"

The Poe's lantern tinkled as it turned its eerie gaze onto the Hero of the Time. "I'm gonna go back to Poekind, a king! Just like th' mistress is gonna lord it over you lot. No more getting' trampled on. For either of us. Waited for this a long time. Can't wait to see their faces, see 'em all humbled and grovelling at my beck and call."

"Right. Validation. That old chestnut."

The Poe bristled. "What? What do you mean?"

Zelda leaped forward, bringing her prize – a long, thin poker stick, she realised – to bear. It cracked into the Poe's lantern, splintering the glass and causing the ethereal blue flame within to plume up and into the air. The Poe screamed.

"Now, Link!"

"What?!"

"Use your magic!"

"_What_ magic?"

The Poe started to steady itself. Zelda flung a scowl in Link's direction. "You were going to blow it up!" she cried. "Had to be magic, right?"

"Don't be daft!" He glanced at the Poe. "Hit it again."

Zelda whacked it on its head. The Poe spun through the air. She flew a helpless glance at Link again. He sighed, sheathed his sword and began to rummage in his coat. With a grin, he pulled his fist out, and then opened it. Nestling in the palm of his hand was a small, dark sphere.

"Goron special," he said, smiling. "My last one." He looked up. "It's coming back."

The Poe had righted itself and, cackling all the way, began to float towards them, sparks of magical energy snapping above its head. Zelda's trembling hand reached back, took aim, then let the poker stick fly. A burst of energy exploded outward from the Poe and consumed the projectile whole.

Link struck the sphere against a wall. Sparks ignited at one end. He flicked a glance at Zelda, shouted "Run!" then threw the bomb into the hole. After a moment's thought, he threw the torch in after it. Link grinned. "Tally-_hoooo!_"

They ran.

The Poe howled in protest but it was too late – the explosion engulfed the room just as Link and Zelda threw themselves back into the corridor. Zelda flung a single glance back, saw the opening of the tunnel start to collapse in on itself, then propelled her legs onward. She wanted to stop, to breathe, to rest – she felt her lungs tighten in pain - but Link was already off. They barrelled through the darkness and into the lit portion of the passageway, cold air on their faces, fiery air flattening the clothes on their backs.

Link skidded to a halt. The corridor split into two. Breathing heavily, Zelda heard the stomp of armoured boots to the left. Link had heard it two. They went right, twisting, turning, darting in and out of the tunnels and - Zelda realised with a shock – always on an incline. _The castle. We're going back to the castle._

"Look!" Link slid to a stop so suddenly that Zelda careened into his back with an "Oof!"

There was a hatchway in the bare floor. With a tug, Link opened it, and popped his head in.

"What is it?" Zelda said, slowly bringing her breathing back under control. "A way out?"

"A way out, but not for us." Link's had a metallic tint to it, stuck as it was under the hatch. "It's the Throne Room. No-one there now, though." He pulled his head free. "That boy in the market. The one with all the Zora hoopla. What did he say? Tomorrow night was…?"

Zelda remembered the scroll she'd seen on the train. "The Night of Choosing."

Stroking his chin, Link looked up at her. "Sounds grand. Maybe there's some do on tonight to prepare." His mouth split into a grin. "Maybe we should attend." He stood, then turned to leave. "Royal Hall, that's where everyone'll be. Ganondorf, too."

"Hey, wait." Zelda finally had her breath back. Link looked back at her, face expectant. Her eyes found his. "Thanks."

He twitched. "For what?"

Zelda held his gaze. "Well, for what you did back there." She felt an awkward smile on her lips. Her voice sounded so small. "For stopping the witch."

Link waved it away. "That won't stop her, love. She'll find a way through. Well. Probably take the direct route now, won't she? There's still a lot left for us to do."

"Still." Zelda swallowed. "Thanks. You said you'd help. You did."

A faint smile lit up Link's face. "Thank _you_. You're still here with me, even though you've got your own little…affair…to take care of."

"Oh. Well." She smiled in return. "People who are wrapped up in themselves just make small packages, I guess. I didn't want to be a small package."

Link laughed. "Great Deku Tree, right?"

Zelda grinned, a little surprised. "Yeah." Her smile faded as she remembered the guardian, felt the hollowness in her heart return.

Link noticed. "Come on." He beckoned with his hand, smiling. "Let's finish this thing. Oh, and where did you get that ridiculous idea about me having magic?" They set off. Link's voice trailed away down the corridor. "Let me tell you…"


	8. Truth Revealed

**8. Truth Revealed**

They found themselves standing in a long line of immaculately dressed people before the large gold-rimmed doors of the Royal Hall. Zelda felt herself drowning in an ocean of noise and light. A steady hum of murmured voices, punctuated by the tinkle of metallic cutlery, beat out both in the little antechamber they were in and from the Hall itself. Incense hung in the air, her nose twitching at its touch. The effect was making her drowsy, and she fought her shoulders from slumping and her mouth from yawning. She had enough sense to realise that that _might_ just be considered a little rude in their present company.

Lanterns hung from every wall, corner and recess in the antechamber. They twinkled so brightly that her eyes watered. Shimmering jewels hanging from every elegantly dressed lady present caught the light and magnified its intensity.

Her eyes found the myriad guards wandering about and standing here and there. In pairs, virtually all of them had their heads bowed, their voices hushed, their eyes urgent. The explosion. It had to be. She shrugged away the worm of unease that had just crawled under her skin. There was no way they knew who was responsible. No way.

It's a wonder they hadn't been stopped already, considering the sword strapped to Link's back. Looking around, though, she spied curved daggers and even a dark, nasty looking mace. They hung from the belts of the other guests. Perhaps the guards considered it ceremonial dress. Or something. Not that anyone would try anything, mind you. The soldiers swarmed all over the place like ants, outnumbering the guests by at least three-to-one.

The line shuffled an inch. Zelda dragged her feet. _This is so boring!_ She looked up at Link, saw that he looked quite frustrated himself. He tapped the shoulder of the man in front of them. At first, the man didn't seem to notice, but Zelda had seen his shoulders tighten ever so slightly. Her eyes narrowed. _He's trying to ignore us. _

Link tapped more vigorously. Moustache twitching in annoyance, the man swung around to meet them, his eyes looking them up and down in distaste. Zelda took an instant disliking to him. _Just because we stand out a bit. 'Coz we're not as fancy-pants as everyone else here. _

"Yes?" the nobleman drawled. "May I help you?"

Link grinned. "Help us you might, my friend."

The man flinched. "It's 'may,'" he said. "'Help us you may.'"

"Is it? What you said," Link replied, unruffled. "I was just wondering if I could ask a question." He cleared his throat. "If I may?"

The nobleman rolled his eyes. "Go on. Be quick about it."

"Can't think why." Link peered over the sea of heads. "Long way before we get to the end of this queue, I'd wager."

Zelda bit her lower lip. Despite her repugnance for the nobleman, she felt her cheeks redden. _He wants to be quick because he doesn't want to be seen talking to us! _For all the things he knew, Link sometimes had trouble grasping the very basics of social etiquette. Not that she was much better. She only knew what she knew from the Know-it-all Brothers, and that wasn't too much, either.

"_What_ is your question?"

Link trundled on. "I was just wondering about the nature of this little do here. Bit fancy, isn't it? Something to do with the Night of Choosing, no?"

The nobleman looked distinctly unimpressed. "How is it, good sir, that you come to be here and not know the sublime purpose of this function?"

"Oh." A slight breeze rippled the air. The hem of Link's coat billowed. "Humour me."

Clutching the front of his silk shirt, the nobleman stumbled back for a step. Blinking, as though his mind was coming out of a fog, the man cleared his throat. Zelda glanced from the nobleman to Link and back again. The same thing had happened to the Zora activist back in the market. Who _was _Link, exactly?

"Of course," the nobleman said. "We are gathered here today to welcome the Princess of the Twili. Oh, and all the other princes from the various dukedoms and what-not. But that hardly matters. Tomorrow is the Night of Choosing, where the Princess will choose her life mate. Our dear hope is that _that_ sacred bond will be consecrated with our very own prince." His mouth twitched. "Can you imagine the trade routes that would open if Hyrule and the Twilight Realm have an official bond? A bond by marriage?" He licked his lips, leaning in closer. "Between you and I, some have said it unfair the event is being held in our very own castle. Some have said that it gives our young prince an unfair advantage. I scoff at that! The rascals wouldn't dare say it out loud." He pulled himself up to his full height. "And now. You. What is _your_ exact purpose here? You and your," he glanced at Zelda, "little sister?"

"Sister?" Link said, startled. "Ah. Yes. _Sister_. Uhm. Well. We're here for the, ah, the, um-"

An image the Know-it-all Brothers had once showed her flitted into Zelda's head. "Jesters!" she said. "We're the jesters!"

"Yes!" Link grinned. "That's right!"

"The fools?" the nobleman replied, one corner of his mouth twisting. "Then what are you doing standing here?" He pointed. "The entrance for scullions and servants is right over there."

Link's eyes narrowed. "Oh, really?" His gaze followed the tip of the nobleman's finger. The line over there was much shorter and moving a lot more quickly. "Thanks."

Yet again, Zelda felt Link tug her away and they began to weave their way through the crowd. She ducked a low-flying silver platter in the hands of one of the servitors and hurried on after him.

"Hey," she said. "How exactly do you do that thing?"

"Do what thing?"

"That whole spooky 'humour me' thing."

Link stopped short. "Remember what I said? When we were in the witch's prison? About me having a connection?"

Zelda's mind floated back. "That cosmic conscious singularity thing?"

"That's it. I'm not quite sure what it is. Something from one of the other Links, I'm sure. But sometimes if I _push _at it…well, I don't know. I make things happen. Weird." The familiar grin returned. "But useful."

Zelda felt ideas ticking away in her head. "You can't do more than that?"

Link probably. "Probably. If I had more training. Mind you, I doubt that there's anyone in this world that could teach me." His voice softened, his face darkening. "Or in my world, either." The sparkle returned. "Well. Never mind, eh?"

He made to move off, but this time it was Zelda who tugged him back. "Wait, wait, wait."

Link glanced at her. "Questions again? I should start charging."

Zelda favoured him with a sour look. "Humour me."

"No, no…it doesn't work like that."

"_Listen._" Zelda resisted the urge to let out a breath. She was learning – slowly – to keep her frustration under the boil whenever she talked to the Hero. "This princess, right? What exactly is she doing? Choosing a friend?"

"Ah." Link looked uncomfortable. "Well…"

Zelda didn't notice. "I mean…what's a life mate? I've never heard of that."

"No, you wouldn't have, would you?" A gentle smile spread over his face. "It's… friends…but more than friends. And for life? Well, that's the hope. Doesn't always turn out like that, sadly. It's just …something… we Hylians do. Something important."

_Strange. The Know-it-all Brothers had never mentioned __**this **__to her before. _Zelda's mind worked. Friends, but more than friends. Her head hurt as she tried to wrap her brain around the concept.

"But why?" she asked. "What's the point in being…'more than friends?'"

Link chewed the inside of his cheek, as though he had to choose his words very carefully. "There are some… fringe benefits, shall we say?" he said at last. "More than one, in fact. After all, we don't all sprout from a Deku Plant fully formed like you Kokiri do."

Zelda frowned. "You don't? Really?"

Link gestured her question away and made to move off. Suspicion pricked her mind. She looked up at the Hero. A hint of a smile touched her lips. "Soooo…this queen of yours?" she said, her words slow and deliberate. "Was she…'more than a friend,' too?"

"_Right, _moving on."

"But-"

"Shut it."

Zelda made a gargled noise of exasperation in the back of her throat. "Fine" she sighed. "Come on, then."

The people in the new queue were far more relaxed in both their manner and dress. There was more laughter here, and less distasteful glances. Zelda liked them already. Some were clearly here to entertain, judging by the wild mix of colours that adorned their feathered clothes. Nearly all of them, she noticed, clutched a tiny scrap of parchment in their hands.

Link had noticed it, too. One of the servants, arms folded, was deep in conversation, the parchment peeking out from between two of her fingers. She had a massive pair of feathered wings strapped to her back. Link sauntered up to her, winked at Zelda and then, with a gentle tug, pulled the paper free. He strolled away, beckoning for Zelda to follow. The woman didn't even notice. Zelda tried to stop her jaw from dropping.

It wasn't long before they found themselves before the doorman. A harried expression hung from his tired face as he clutched a scroll in one hand, a quill in the other. He glanced at Zelda, then at Link. "Names?"

"Hello." The Hero of Time smiled. "I'm Link. This is Zelda."

Weary eyes darted down the scroll as the doorman chewed on the end of his quill. "Hmm. Link…Zelda…Link…Zelda." He looked up. "Nope. You're not on the list."

"But we have this." Link handed the parchment over. "Vellum. Very rare. Expensive. Wouldn't want to upset the people who gave us that now, would we?"

The doorman gave them a sour look before snatching the paper away. His eyes scanned it quickly. "Well, signed and stamped, I see. Everything seems to be in order. _However,_" he looked up, "I can't see how _you_ in particular, sir, are going to perform – if this scroll is entirely accurate – the Formal Gerudo Ballet of Flame for the princess' pleasure."

The doorman looked at Link. Link looked back at the doorman. "Oh, I'm good at tippy-toes, me. Family drove it into me from a young age. Made me walk on broken glass heated in the hot desert sand itself. And the flame bit? Well. They made me eat the glass afterwards."

Link looked at the doorman. The doorman looked back at Link. He stood aside, and nudged open the door with his heel. "Carry on."

"See ya!" Link plucked the parchment out of the doorman's hand and strode past him, Zelda in tow – who felt obliged to smile sweetly at the doorman – and then past the servants tunnel and straight out into the Royal Hall. No one noticed. They were too busy.

Link stopped, then spun on his heel. The door was still open, just a crack so that a wedge of light peeked through. Zelda watched as the Hero began creasing the paper into myriad intricate folds. He caught sight of her quizzical look. "Paper bird," he said. Zelda found herself even more confused. She saw the resemblance, sort of. Sleek, folded wings now adorned the little scrap of parchment. One eye squinting, Link drew back his arm, then let the bird fly. The air flicked it this way and that, but it managed to swoop through the crack and, somehow, hit the winged lady. She looked up in surprise.

Link turned away and grinned. "Now they'll have more than one ballet dancer." Zelda opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off with a raised hand. "No, don't worry. He won't notice. Probably get loads of people doing the same act. Same patrons as well. She'll be fine." He turned back to the Hall and folded his arms. "Now. What have we here, then?"

The guests were seated around circular tables, the largest of which belonged to the Prince of Hyrule, whilst the lesser princes had their own, substantially sized in as much as they larger than those belonging to the dukes and other noblemen, but paling in size to Hyrule's Prince. Entertainers winded in and out of the empty spaces, fire-breathing jugglers eliciting hushed praise, court jesters piquing an explosion of raucous laughter.

"Well," said Zelda, looking around. "Nice. This is nice. Don't you think it's nice?"

Link looked distinctly unimpressed. "I refuse to enjoy myself."

Zelda sighed. She looked up. High on a balcony overlooking the Hall stood the Princess of Twili. Regal, slender and dressed in an immense but dark gown, she gazed from behind a fan covering half her face with glittering, imperious eyes. Red eyes, Zelda noticed, just like the princess' hair. Zelda felt her throat catch. The princess was surreal and beautiful all at once. Glancing down at her now tattered and dirty Kokiri tunic, Zelda felt very small in comparison.

"Hoo!"

Zelda whirled around. She glanced back at Link, but his eyes were fixed elsewhere. _Great. Leave me to it, then. _She turned back to Kaepora Gaebora. His wide, sallow eyes, round like nuggets of gold, peered at her from under the shadow of one of the tables.

"Hoo!" he said again.

"Really, who are you?" Zelda whispered as she crouched down. "I mean, how do I find us so easily?" Her eye twitched. "You must be important, right? I mean…_how _are you important?"

"In every universe, in every world, there can be no Link without a Zelda," the owl said, as though Zelda hadn't even spoken. She found that quite rude, to be honest. He, on the other hand, just fluttered his wings. "You, Zelda. You have to show him the way. The right path. Hoo! Before he is lost."

"Right," Zelda replied, eager to be away. Maybe the owl wasn't so important, after all. Besides, she was just _sure _that someone was going to spot her talking to an oversized owl and that would mean a lot of unwanted attention. Not to mention, embarrassment. "Show him the way. Got it. Thanks."

The owl ruffled his feathers and rotated his head. "Now. Shall I repeat that?"

"No, no, no," Zelda said, waving her hands. "It really, really, really is quite clear. Thank you."

"I shall keep an eye on you."

"Please don't"

"Then I shall depart!" Another flurry of wings, and the owl vanished.

Zelda turned back, releasing a pent-up breath. Her eyes found the Prince of Hyrule. _Her _prince. Zelda's heart fluttered. Seated next to a red-liveried man decked with weapons – that simply _had_ to be the Captain-of-the-Guards; the Know-it-all Brothers had mentioned him to her once – the tall, bronze-skinned prince was a sight just as breathtaking as the Princess of the Twili. And to think, he had such a noble soul as well. All those things he'd done for the people.

"Would you look at the vanity," Link said, breaking into her thoughts. "He used the Triforce to make himself pretty."

There was something strange about the Hero's voice. Something that made her heart tight. She looked up – and gasped.

"Link?"

His eyes were molten, his hands clenching and unclenching. "I could take him." His voice was little more than a harsh whisper. "I could go over there and end him with one well-placed thrust to the heart."

Zelda glanced around in panic. Again, she spied the Captain-of-the-Guards, his bulky form heavily armoured. Her heart sped. "But, no. You can't." Her lips trembled. Link sounded so serious. _Very _serious. If he caused a scene here, it would be bad for both of them. How could she stop him? "You'd never get out. They'd tear you apart."

Link swung his fiery gaze down onto her. "So?"

She shrank back, sweat erupting on her skin. Zelda held on tightly inside. She couldn't afford to be cowed. "Wait. Remember. You said you wanted to know _why _he'd brought you here into this Hyrule first, right?"

"Not for anything good, I'm sure," Link replied. "Finish him off now and save us all from the misery."

Before she could say anymore, she noticed that the crowd had begun to hush, their eyes all fixed skyward. Zelda looked up, saw that the princess had raised a hand and was preparing to speak.

"Over here," Link said. He strode over to a round table resting on its side. "Don't think they'll be using this for a while." He crouched behind it as Zelda followed suit. "Good a place as any to watch the fun."

Zelda watched as the princess' gaze swept over the entire chamber. "Greetings," the princess said. Her voice brought images of honey and blossom to Zelda's mind. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle. And thank you," she smiled, "for inviting me."

Zelda found her attention drifting. The princess spoke on, but Zelda found the reactions of the guests far more interesting. She looked at the minor princes, saw the naked hunger that burned in their eyes and shaped their expressions. It was so strange. Were they that desperate to be the princess' friend?

She felt something push at her mind. A kernel of an idea began to sprout. She looked again at Hyrule's Prince, this man that Link had named Ganondorf. His expression was a little more guarded than the other princes, but Zelda could see that his eyes still held that same longing. The princess, still speaking, glanced at him for a heartbeat. Their eyes locked. A hint of a smile ghosted over the princess' lips, then was gone. Ganondorf's gaze fell to the floor. Zelda's idea blossomed.

She licked her lips. "Do you know what I think?" she whispered.

"What?" Link's own eyes, flaring dangerously, were still pinned on the prince. His hand was up beside his sword, fingers dancing on the hilt.

Zelda swallowed. She had to be careful. The Hero wasn't in his right mind. "I think, maybe, you know…perhaps Ganondorf changed the whole world, because he wanted something…something he didn't have in your world."

Link's gaze didn't budge. "And what would that be?"

She huddled in closer. "Listen to me. Please." A soft metallic whisper heralded the arrival of Link's sword. Zelda felt her breath quicken. "_Please._"

"I'm listening."

She licked moisture back onto her cracked lips. "You said the life-mate was important to you Hylians."

"It is."

"Maybe…maybe, that's it, Link. I don't know. Maybe that's all he wants. To be chosen by the princess. To be a life mate."

Link turned towards her at last. "Come again? All he wants is love?" His voice soured. "Bit twee, no?"

This wasn't working. Link had turned away again. She could see from his posture that he was ready to spring out, ready to attack. Thinking of the bloodshed that would come made Zelda feel queasy. She rubbed her sweat covered palms clean on her trousers. Her mind whirled. She wracked her brain for thoughts. Until. _Until._ Of course!

"Remember what you said to me at the market, Link? About how you can't help people unless they want to be helped?" She clutched at his sword arm. "I think Ganondorf wants to be helped."

The steel in Link's eyes wavered. The fist wrapped around the pommel of his sword began to tremble. "Me?" he breathed. "Help _him_?"

"Please."

His fist began to shake. Sweat sprung up on his brow.

Zelda clutched harder. "_Please."_

From somewhere above, the princess' voice began again. "I have a proposal," she said. An awed hush fell over the assembled guests. "I'm afraid I will have to delay the Night of Choosing." A mumble of discontent began to rumble in response, but the princess pressed on. "Delay it favour of something special. A little quest, if you will. Something…that will help me in my choice."

"What…" Zelda pressed on, her whispered voice a muddle. She didn't know what to say. Another thought slammed into her head. If _she _was anything like _her…_"What would your queen do?"

Link stared at her, his eyes wide, swimming in doubt. Still he wouldn't let go of his sword.

"A quest…" the princess continued. "For a Hero!" Feet stamped, voices roared, cutlery smashed against wood.

Zelda's own eyes widened. "That's it! That's it! All the things he's done in _my_ world! All the good things! This is what it was leading to! This must be what he wants!"

"_No._" Link steadied his sword. "No, no, no, no. Murderer, tyrant, torturer, that's what he is. He had plenty of chances to play the hero. He didn't take a single one."

Zelda wouldn't be cowed. Not now. "The Triforce, Link. What does it really do? Tell me."

Link's lips quivered. His voice was little more than a breath. His eyes seemed to turn inward. "The Triforce will give you what you want…both what you think you want…and what you didn't even know you wanted. Your heart's most hidden desire."

Zelda had no voice left. A whisper left her lips. "He wants to be helped, Link. Would your queen help him?"

Link stared back. His eyes became clear.

Far above, the princess ploughed on in theatrical manner. "A quest to Death Mountain! For the one, last Spiritual Stone!" The crowd gasped, then exploded in a cheer.

Link sprang to his feet. "Of course!" He pointed his sword in the prince's direction. The crowd fell silent. "Dodongo!"

The prince's hand flew to his chest. "I'm a _what_?"

The Captain-of-the-Guards flew to his feet, his weapons clattering with the sudden movement. "Seize that man!"

"Oh, yes," said Link. "Seize me." He nodded towards Zelda. "Seize her, too."

A platoon of guards encircled them, blades at the ready and faces set for scowl.

Link grinned. "Take us to your leader."


	9. Kaepora's Secret

**9. Kaepora's Secret**

They stood in one of the prince's private chambers, Link with his familiar pose of arms crossed, back straight, Zelda standing sheepishly nearby. The prince was behind a writing table, his fingers a pyramid, the tips pressed against his lips in thought. A frosted crystal goblet, sloshing with red liquid, stood in front of him. Stained glass, painstakingly etched by the deftest fingers of what Zelda had been told were the finest artists of Hyrule, bathed the room in a dark hue. The only other person in the room was the Captain-of-the-Guards. He leaned against the far wall, his eyes pinning Link with a fiery stare.

Link himself didn't look any more comfortable, Zelda realised. _He's wound up all tight like a cork. Like he's trying to keep his skin from crawling. I mean, **really** crawling._ And this frightened Zelda more than any giant spider, Darknut or insane witch ever could. She wasn't quite sure what Link would do. Her heart trembled in response to her thoughts. _Remember he's a prince, Link. Stay respectful. You have to stay respectful._

Link looked from the captain to the prince. He smiled. "Alright?"

Zelda closed her eyes. The captain snarled and the prince cleared his throat. Ganondorf held a hand up in the captain's direction, then let his gaze drop onto Link's face. He chewed the inside of his cheek for a few heartbeats. A fire crackled from a hearth nearby. "So," the prince said at last. "You say you are familiar with Death Mountain? You say that there's a creature I should be wary of, this…Dadanjo…?"

"Dodongo," Link replied. The captain's narrowed eyes threw the Hero a hint. Link caught it. "_Your Highness._"

"And you wish to assist me?" Ganondorf cocked his head to one side. "Why?"

Link smiled. "Just doing my civic duty, Your Majesty-ness." He bowed with theatrical flourish. "You want to go into Death Mountain. You've not been before. I've the expertise you need. Perfect match, I'd say."

"And there's nothing else in it for you?"

"No."

"Wealth? Women? Power?"

"Still no."

Ganondorf leaned back. He lifted the goblet to his lips, his breath misting the glass, and downed the crimson liquid in one gulp. Satiated, the prince flicked his finger against the rim of the glass. It sang.

Zelda watched, enthralled. Sure, the prince was young like Link had said, but somehow the way he carried himself, the way he spoke, his whole demeanour – it just made her feel like she was in the presence of someone far older. There just something so…magnetic about him. Something wholesome. _But why, oh why, can't Link see it?_

Ganondorf broke the silence. "The only problem is this: I only have your word regarding this supposed expertise of yours. I would have thought that if you're truly as good as you claim, then your fame would be spread far and wide by now. You say your name is Link. I certainly haven't heard of it." He looked up at the captain. "Have you?"

The soldier glowered. "No, Your Highness."

The prince's eyes shifted over to Zelda. "And this little girl? What's her involvement in all this?"

"Where I go, she goes." Link saw the Captain glaring. "Your Highness."

"Preposterous," Ganondorf replied. "I am not willing to risk the life of someone so young. And I wanted to know her identity, not her relationship to you. Though if there's anything untoward going on…"

"Your Highness," Zelda cut in. "If I may…?" She bit her lip. Her whole body thudded loudly and slowly, as though her heart had engulfed her whole. This was like talking to Deku, except that there was no one here to comfort her or soothe her nerves. When the prince gestured for her to continue, she said, "I'm not just a little girl. I'm a Kokiri."

"A Kokiri?" The prince's eyes widened. "Why, I didn't realise. I do apologise. Such a fine people. But what are you doing so far from home? And how is the Great Deku Tree? I haven't visited him for such a long time. How remiss of me."

Tears came to Zelda's eyes. "That's just it, Your Highness. That's why I came here. To tell you." She had to swallow to loosen her throat. "Deku's dead. And he sent me here. With…Link here. Sent us both."

_It's the truth. Sort of. _

The prince leaned back, his eyes darting from Zelda to Link. "Deku sent you? You have proof of this? And he's dead, you say?"

"Just send a message back to the village," Zelda replied. "They'll tell you. Tell you that I was sent. My name's Zelda. Deku sent me, he did." Grief tore through her voice. "But he's dead now. Killed by the witch."

"Witch?" The prince exchanged glances with the captain. "What witch?"

"The one in Lon Lon Hill," Zelda explained. "_Inside_ the Hill. She captured me, but Link helped me escape. She said she's coming. Coming to the castle. With this huge…monster."

Ganondorf stared at her for a few heartbeats. Then he turned. "Captain. Triple the guard duty around the castle. And send one of your troops – your best men, mind – to Lon Lon Hill." He turned back to Link and Zelda as the captain made his acknowledgements. The prince smiled. "It would seem you are fated to join me, after all. If the Great Deku Tree had such faith in you, then who am I to argue? We go, then. To the icy depths of Death Mountain to win the heart of my beloved."

_And to be a hero_, Zelda thought to herself.

"Yes," said Link. "Beloved. I can see that. That's why she's sending you in after Dodongo. I would take that as a really big hint."

The captain's hand fell to his sword. "Stay your tongue, commoner, or else you'll be parted from it, swiftly and surely."

Again, Ganondorf held up a hand. "I think you misunderstand the princess, Link. Hers is a warrior race." An ember glowed in his eyes, reflecting the glow of the fire. "Where respect is won in blood and songs are sung of one's deeds for generation after generation."

Link's eyes narrowed. He seemed to be considering something. Something unforeseen. "I see," he said. "I apologise for any…misunderstanding. Now." He frowned. "Did you say the 'icy depths' of Death Mountain?"

"Icy, yes," the prince replied. "What of it?"

"Not fiery?"

The captain pulled himself off the wall. "His Majesty said icy and he means icy," he barked. "What are you trying to imply?"

"No, no, nothing." Link smiled and held up his palms. "Apologies again. Icy it is."

Ganondorf held up a hand yet again. He sighed in irritation. "There's no need to be so excitable, Captain," he said. "I'm sure there was nothing malicious intended." He let his gaze fall onto Link. "Now. We leave in the morning. Unfortunately, the Night of Choosing will have to be delayed somewhat. I will take with me a single guard." The captain began to protest, but the prince cut him off with a sharp look. "I've not been idle. I know how to defend myself. The captain will remain in custody of the castle."

The prince looked again at Link. "As strange as it sounds, I find myself under a compelling reason to trust you." He laughed, short and swift. "As though it is important somehow…"

Zelda watched with fascination at the myriad emotions churning on the Hero's face: from disgust to rage to confusion and finally settling on blank serenity.

Ganondorf had noticed it, too. He looked rather taken aback. "Well, anyway." He cleared his throat. "I shan't keep you. I take it from your attire that you're more than ready…?"

Shadowed eyes darkened Link's smile. "Spot on."

"Excellent. Then you are dismissed. I trust you find your new quarters satisfactory?"

"Top of the world," Link said. The captain bared his teeth. "Your Highness."

"Then I give you both my leave."

Link strode out of the room with a purpose, Zelda following closely behind. They found themselves in a richly decorated corridor, the lanterns here made of crystal, the floor layered with a royal blue carpet. Stout marble pillars marked every twenty paces and the scent of honey mixed with cloves hung in the air.

"Can't believe it," Link muttered. "After all these years, I just can't believe it." He glanced at Zelda. "Can you believe it?"

"Believe what?"

"That I'm working for the nutjob." Link shook his head. "Me. You. Us. Working for him. Now tell me, love – do you believe that?"

Zelda wasn't listening. His words had chafed. "The prince is _not _a nutjob!"

"Oh, and that's great. _You're_ here to defend him. Top bloke is he now? Not the nasty, visceral scum I've known all along, no?"

"No, he's not," Zelda replied, her voice hot. The carpet was springy beneath her boots, and she struggled to keep the Hero's pace. "Because he hasn't done any of those horrible things. Not in this world, anyway. He's innocent." She paused. "And what does 'visceral scum' mean anyway?"

"I bet it's all lurking there beneath the surface," Link continued. "Just waiting for a way to burst out. And how self-important is that, anyhow? Change the whole of reality just to be a hero? He's a crafty one, he is."

"Maybe he isn't, though. You said it yourself, Link," Zelda replied. "Maybe he thought he wanted to be a prince, but the Triforce knew all he wanted was to be a hero?"

"And for what point and purpose, I wonder?" Link said, glancing down at her. "Some people just want the adulation."

"You really are quite a suspicious person, you know that?"

Link bristled. "Of Ganondorf, yes."

"Maybe he really is sincere."

"Maybe." Link stopped. He placed a palm on one of the pillars. "Why would you want to, though? Be a hero, I mean." His brow creased. "You people – you think your life's unliveable just because no one gives you a smidgen of attention. And then people you're desperate for attention from are far too busy, anyway. Busy doing what, you ask? Busy wondering why no-one gives _them _any attention." He shook his head. "What was it the Deku Tree said about small packages? He got it spot on. Now. Where were we?"

"A hero's life." Zelda shrugged. "You were saying."

"Right," Link replied, coat aswirl as he set off once again. "Life of a hero. Perks? None. Only what you make of it I suppose. And for me, that means making sure I'm having a jolly good laugh. Disadvantages? Well. Low life expectancy for one thing. Destined to die horribly most of the time."

Zelda flicked at her tunic. "_You_ seem to have done fine."

Link waved away her comment. "Stick to the little things, that's what I always say. You can help people in so many small, unnoticed ways." He turned his blue eyes towards her. "Bigger the hero, bigger the ego."

The bitter words were on her tongue before she could take them back. "And how big is your ego then, 'Hero of Time?'"

Link stopped. He surprised her by the shadow that suddenly fell over his face. "That's mine to bear," he said, his voice quiet. He sounded vulnerable, exposed. "And I never gave myself that title anyway."

Feeling uncomfortable, Zelda changed track. "Anyway…what's this 'Dodongo'?"

"Nasty brute. Monster." He moved off again. "Guards the Spiritual Stone in Death Mountain."

"Great." Zelda sighed. "Do you, like, actually know anybody _normal_?" She paused, eyes wide in realisation. "Maybe I'm the only normal one."

"Oh, you'll learn to adjust, don't worry," Link replied. "Anyway. I did know normal people. I _do _know, I mean. There's Tingle for one."

"Tingle?"

"Um. No. Wait. Well." He started to look quite flustered. "Sheik! Ah-ha! Yes! I knew Sheik!"

"And Sheik is…?"

"A cross-dressing ninja."

"A _what?_"

"Now this Hero thing," Link went on, expertly changing track. "Reminds me of this bloke I once knew. Captain Keeta, his name. Wanted to be a hero, so he joined me on a little jaunt to attack some fortress. We get there, right, and the fortress is sealed up all tight. So I said to him, 'Go get me a battering ram.' And you know what he did?"

Zelda arched an eyebrow. "What?"

"He got me a _battering ram._"

"Isn't…that…what you wanted?"

Link stopped short. "No. He got me a battering _ram._ One that bleats. Says 'baa baa' and eats grass." His expression fled inward. "Though have to admit, it did work." His voice dropped. "Shame about the horns."

"Hoo!"

Zelda felt the breath fly from her lungs as she closed her eyes. She was starting to get a little sick of the owl. Who _was_ he, anyway? And how did he know where to find her? Flicking a glancing at Link, Zelda turned around to face –

An old, rotund man, draped in crimson and orange robes. Sad eyes gazed back at from a weathered face bristling with gray hair. "Zelda," he said, his voice rich and deep. "Hero."

Link stepped forward. "Rauru…?"

"You must forgive me for the deception," he replied. "It is taking all of my power just to maintain my true form."

Zelda looked up at Link, confused. He glanced back at her. "Zelda, meet Rauru, Sage of Light," he said. "You were Kaepora all along? Wait. Does that mean that in my world-"

"Hero," Rauru said. "I have little time. Let me explain." He looked at Zelda. "Greetings. We were once friends, though your memory of this has been purged, never to return. Just as Ganondorf's memory has, too, been cleansed." Sadness flooded his voice. "And that, partly, is my fault."

"Friends?" Zelda said. "Memory…?" She looked at Link again. "I thought you said…?"

Link folded his arms. "Like he said, let the man explain."

A thin smile flashed on and off Rauru's lips. "Thank you," he said. "Yes, indeed, I have been coming to you in the form of the owl, Kaepora Gaebora. You see, I am the Rauru of this world. I was present at the moment that Ganondorf grasped the Triforce and let loose all of its power."

Link shifted. "So you know what he really wants, then? You can tell us?"

"I merely said that I was there," Rauru replied. "Of his intentions, well..." His face seemed to crumble with grief. "Please. I seek forgiveness. Please."

Link arched an eyebrow. "Forgiveness for what, Sage?"

"It was I," Rauru sighed. "It was I who gave Ganondorf the Triforce." He saw them both moving to speak, and cut them off. "But you must understand. The war was over. The Hero of Time and the Princess of Wisdom were both dead. And Ganondorf…I knew his heart more than most. More than he did himself, I think."

"How so?" said Link.

"I befriended him in his youth." Rauru's gaze touched Zelda's eyes, then Link's, then back to her again. She found it a little unsettling.

He went on, his voice growing steadily thicker: "It was agreed by the other Sages that that would be my role. I watched Ganondorf living in the desert, you see. Watched this promising youth, this apple of his tribe, watched as he himself saw his people die all around him from the heat and thirst. Watched, while the rest of Hyrule did nothing. Nothing!"

"Steady on," Link said, softly. "We can talk about this later if you want…?"

"Forgive me, Hero," Rauru said, coughing.

Zelda stepped forward, her heart twisting for him, but he waved her off. "There will be no later," he said.

Zelda pursed her lips. "It sounds like you really did become his friend."

Rauru smiled. "True. You always were one of insight." He coughed. "How could I not, spending that much time with him? Did you know, once, he even tried to lead his people out of the desert? They were hounded back in. Stoned. Shunned. He wanted to be the hero. He wasn't able to. It broke him. Twisted him. I begged the Sages to let me interfere, to let me help. They refused. They said destiny had to run its course." A long breath left his lips and his voice fell to a melancholy whisper. "Sometimes vanity can overpower wisdom, I think. This is what the Triforce saw in his heart. His desire to be a hero, to help, to make a difference."

Link's face fell. "So, it's true, then," he said. "Like Zelda here said."

Rauru smiled at Zelda again, and she felt her heart respond to his soft eyes. "If she said that," the Sage said, "then she truly has inherited the mantle of wisdom."

Zelda turned away, not altogether unhappy, but disliking the heat that she felt rising swiftly to her cheeks.

"His loathing for me is no match to my loathing for myself," Rauru said, picking up the thread of his tale once more. "When he found out who – and what – I really was it drove him deeper into madness."

"And how, exactly," said Link, "is winning the Spiritual Stone and the heart of this princess going to make a difference?"

"I do not really know. Events are yet to play out. But as the Great Deku Tree and I realised, you two are key to Ganondorf's success or failure. He has included you both - consciously or unconsciously - in his new Hyrule. Even this Twili Princess – she was an enemy of his in yet another Hyrule, and he brought her here, too. Perhaps he – or the Triforce itself - needs all of you to succeed in this quest. He must believe that winning the Stone will cement his heroism."

"Oh, that's nice, isn't it, Zelda?" Link said, the skin around his eyes tight. "Why don't we all just have one big picnic and play happy families? You pack some cloth and I'll roast a cucco in Ganondorf's honour."

"I realise that this is hard for you, Hero," Rauru replied. "I simply ask your forgiveness for my part in all this."

Zelda looked up at Link, expecting to see the steel still there on his face. It wasn't. He surprised her by shrugging softly.

"You did what you did," he said. "No point worrying about it now. Let it go." He smiled, as though worried his words were too harsh. "One more thing. Is there a way home? For me?"

"That path is…unclear. You're free to search for one, indeed. But whether you want to devote yourself to that or to what's been placed on your shoulders here…well…I trust you'll make the right decision." He took in a breath. "I do sense something, though. Something faint. A crossroads linked to both your trek to Death Mountain and your desire to return home."

Link didn't look too happy. "And if I do get home, am I going to stay like this?" He leaned in closer, his voice dropping. "The thoughts, the ideas, they're so strange, Sage. All these other Links, the things they say. Kill the ego, says one. See the big picture, says another. It's weird, no? All I've ever wanted to do was fight the good fight." He took a deep breath. "And I was getting a bit sick of that, too."

Rauru reached forward and let his hand come to rest on the Hero's palm. "You'd do well to listen to them all, Link. They are all different shards of the Hero's mirror. Combined…well…who knows what could be achieved?"

A bitter smile touched the Hero's lips. "Right. Not what _I _could achieve, then? You're in on it as well, aren't you, mate? The big picture but minus the ego, yes? It's quite…quite…"

Rauru cocked an eyebrow. "Liberating?"

Link looked him in the eyes. Zelda saw sadness swimming in both pairs. "If I get back…" said Link, "I don't even know who I am anymore. I can't remember. I don't sound like myself. I don't even _look _like myself." His shoulders sank a little, as though a heavy burden held them down. "Will _she_ even recognise me?"

Rauru smiled, his grip on Link's palm tightening. "Undoubtedly. Of that, I am certain."

"Wait," Zelda said. "I thought you two had met already. In that vortex thing…?"

Rauru bowed his head. "This is true," he said. "When the world changed, I clung on with all my strength. The vortex, as you call it, is the meeting place where all the worlds – all the different universes – converge. There, I met Link, and told him that this world had changed, and that Ganondorf was responsible. Told him about your dreams, too, Zelda. I had little time for anything else. I was changing too, you see, just like you have changed, Zelda. I forced my memories to stay with me, though my body…it could only survive in the form of Kaepora Gaebora. When the time was right, I knew I would reveal myself to the two of you. And that…would take…the last…of my…"

Rauru fell to his knees, and both Link and Zelda rushed to his side. "Fight it, mate," Link whispered. "We can still get you out of here. Get you some help."

"No…" Rauru began to wheeze. His cloak fluttered, and his body began to shimmer, then fade. "The task is done." Feverish eyes turned to face the Hero. Rauru clutched at Link's coat. "You must do this, Link. For once…there must be…peace…" Link simply stared back, his face as blank as uncut marble.

Now Rauru turned to Zelda. He smiled, and she felt her heart break. She may not have known him as well as Link did, but she just knew that he was kind and wise, just like Deku. And that they'd been friends in a world now long gone. She smiled back, tears blurring her eyes.

"If only we had more time…" was all Rauru said. A sudden blast of wind flooded the corridor. Rauru's cloak billowed, and then he faded out of reality, his smile the last thing to depart.

Silence filled the passageway. Zelda didn't quite know what to say. Her eyes remained rooted to the place where the Sage had just been moments ago. _What a strange world I live in now,_ she thought. Things were so simpler back at the forest. The unreality of her situation slammed into her memories and a giddy wave of homesickness washed over her. What was she thinking? She, Zelda, a Kokiri, was actually going to Death Mountain to help fight some monster?

"Gone." Link's voice pulled her back to herself. "Sleep well, old friend." He stood, all trace of grief vanishing from his face. "Well. That's that, then. It's settled. Looks like it really is Ganondorf in need of rescuing this time. He better not get himself captured or anything. Locked up in some castle, and then we have to traipse in, fight off some evil horde and then find some short bloke who'll say, 'Oh, thank you, Link. But our prince is in another castle.'"

"Can I just ask?" Zelda said, standing and smoothing down the front of her tunic. "Are you insane?"

"Oh, that's nice, that is."

"Just asking!"

Link smiled at her. "At least he's taking care of the witch. One thing we don't have to worry about, yes? Now." He turned to leave. "What we need to do is-"

Zelda turned around, alarmed at Link's sudden silence. She swallowed. The princess, hands on her hips, was staring back at them. Her garments clinked quietly. Two white liveried guards, their faces grim, stood silent sentinel behind her.

Link cleared his throat. "Alright?" he said. "Been here long?"

The princess smiled. "Oh, I just got here."

Zelda curtsied. "Your Majesty."

"Oh, pish-posh," the princess said, waving the gesture away. Crimson eyes glittered with amusement. "Call me Midna. It's my name. There's no harm in using it." She measured them both with her eyes. "I hear that the two of you are joining the quest." A smile widened to a grin. "Sounds fun!"

"News travels fast," Link said, his voice hushed. It was his turn to regard her now. His eyes narrowed. "Judging from your attire, I'm guessing that our little expedition is going to take a turn to the domestic."

Midna cocked her head. "Domestic?"

Zelda only just noticed that the princess was draped in armoured riding gear, complete with a pair of sharp daggers and a glinting, polished axe.

"You're coming with us, no?" Link said. "To keep an eye on the prince?"

The princess laughed, a light, tinkling sound. "Obvious, isn't it?" she said. "Well, yes, it's true."

"Bit early to get all kitted up though, no?" Link went on. "Long time 'till the morning."

Midna shrugged. "I like to be prepared."

"So, tell me, then," Link said. "Since it's clear to me that you've already made up your mind – you know, your choice and all that – why this whole little song and dance?"

"Ah, now _that's_ clever." Midna's smile didn't drop. "Because it amuses me, that's why. And you wouldn't believe how bored it gets being a princess."

"Oh, I would, actually."

Midna's eyebrow arched. "You're a princess?"

"Well. No." Flustered, Link tried to keep hold of his cool. "Of course not. I just knew one. A princess. Not here, though. Just…somewhere else."

"I'm sure." Midna laughed. "Well, I won't keep you. Have to visit your prince, don't you know." Her smile became a grin yet again. It matched the merriment in her twinkling eyes. "I'm sure we'll be getting to know each other well on our trip. Really well." She looked from Link to Zelda, smiled, then motioned for her guards. "See you later!"


	10. The Last Third of the Night

**10. The Last Third of the Night**

Right. What did he have here, then?

_Well._ First things first. Link was having a ball of a time, leaping from roof to roof, the cool night Castle Town air streaming into his face. The Hero of Time's movements tracked a hooded figure winding its way through the back streets of the town. Head bowed, the man cut through the thick fingers of mist that clawed over the cobbled stones. Little dogs scampered out of the man's path, yipping and barking.

Soothing joy pulsed through the tributaries of Link's heart. He knew the source instantly. Vast, immense and utterly unique, the Presence- _and, oh yes, its Presence with a capital 'P' –_ held him in its thrall, a transcendent Awareness –_yes, those pesky capitals again _–that effused him with its warm serenity.

_Light without fire, soul without body. _

_The Great Peace. _

Link reflected on that for a moment. The supernatural Presence had touched him through the assassin, a Link from one of those other Hyrules, the moment he'd been pulled into this new world. It was so completely different to everything that he'd been taught from his own Hyrule that Link had had no idea on how to deal with it. But now he had it, he didn't want to let it go. For some reason, it always grew stronger here in the last third of the night. Link only wished he had someone to explain to him exactly what it was and what it could do.

The assassin Link, coupled with a Link that was some sort of shadowy lord, both pressed on his psyche the greatest. There were others, too, he knew. Like that floppy brown-haired one that wanted to bring that world's Zelda back from an unending sleep. Or something. All he saw were images, not the details. But it was the assassin and the lord that had impressed upon him the most. Link didn't know why that was. And, well, he couldn't be bothered trying to unravel it all, either.

It had been both weeks and merely a few short hours since he'd left Rauru's side. That was the thing about time-travel. Never knew exactly how much of the stuff – time, that is - had passed, yes? Take that one time when he'd first dropped into this world. He'd been sitting at the table in an inn, ready to tuck into some cucco eggs that the cook had so painstakingly made for him, when the ocarina had demanded his attention, whisked him away on a year-long adventure involving vicious dictators, horrendous tyranny and a frisky dragon named Abigail, and then dumped him back at his table with the eggs still warm. Except that someone had pinched one. 'Someone' being the cook, in fact. _The scoundrel_.

Like he said. That was the thing about time-travel.

Link peered down into the murky streets. The hooded man threw a glance over his shoulder and – _oh, hurrah!_ – any sharp-eyed observer would have recognised him instantly as Prince Ganondorf, Sovereign of Hyrule.

_Prince Ganondorf. Hilarious, no? _ But Link had had plenty of time to get used to the idea. Truth be told, Ganondorf making himself ruler of Hyrule through the Triforce was something Link could've perfectly understood. One of those other Links – that 'shadowy lord' bloke – even approved of the idea, so long as the Gerudo proved himself strong and capable. So, it wasn't the fact of Ganondorf's princedom that irked Link, no. It was the whole 'hero' thing.

_Well, just think about it, right. _Ganondorf had been so distraught at his people being rejected that his heart's hidden desire had been to rewrite the world and cast him in the role of the hero. _Got that? It's clear so far, no? _And yet, Link couldn't help but notice, there were very few Gerudos wandering about, either here in Castle Town or up in the castle. Which meant what, exactly? _That maybe old G never did all he did for his people – maybe he did it for himself. The little scamp. _

Speaking of little scamps, Zelda the Kokiri was back in her chambers, snoring softly after the rigorous training program Link had just put her through. This night was his. But that wasn't what was on his mind now, no. Like he said, he'd gotten used to the idea of Ganondorf as prince. And, despite his reservations, he was willing to go along with Rauru's plan to redeem the Gerudo.

The decision done, his heart free, there wasn't any point on dwelling on it. Ruminations like that just dragged the mind down into the mud of melancholy and distress, right? Still. Ganondorf sneaking around the town after hours? Link just _had _to satisfy his curiosity. Never can be too careful, that's what he always said.

_Getting used to an idea doesn't equal liking it._ That, and the fact that he just couldn't shake off those niggling doubts about the man…

Arms outstretched, Link leapt from a rusted tin roof, his long coat snapping in the wind, somersaulted, then landed on the next roof with the softest of touches. _Assassin's feet_, he realised.

A flicker of movement stole his attention. Link looked up. A small girl stared back at him. Eyes wide. Dirty clothes. Dirtier face. _Slightly _serious expression. Clearly she was about to expound on something earth-shatteringly profound.

"Cucco," she said.

Well. He hadn't been expecting that.

She pointed, hair and dirty white dress streaming slightly in the wind, and the Hero of Time's eyes followed. Golden lamp light spilled out from a decrepit looking shopfront: paint peeling, no markings, no discernible way of knowing exactly what type of shop it was. Which basically meant it was one of _those_ shops. Operating after dark and with a clientele that were strictly in the know.

"Cucco," the little girl said again.

Link sighed. From the corner of his eye he saw Ganondorf slip further away down the street. The girl wanted his help. He wanted to chase the prince. Emotions churned within him: uncertainties, hesitations and the distinct feeling that a piece of wool might have, stretched from one side to the other.

Choices. It always came down to choices. Between what he wanted, and what was right. Surely he had to keep a check on Ganondorf, right? If the prince was up to no good, now would be the perfect time to catch him out on it.

The girl stared at him, eyes pleading. Link sighed again. So easy to be cynical, no? Much harder to be nice. Much more to be truly genuine.

"Lead the way," he said.

He felt the Presence throb, approving of his decision. Serenity would come again soon, but at the moment Link's choice chafed. It usually did when it went this way. It just took him longer than most to get used to the idea.

*

The Don wiped the inside of the glass with a ragged cloth. "Your name is 'Cucco?'" he said. "Seriously?"

The thin faced woman with the silver hair stared back. "It's an old nickname," she said, her voice tight. Somewhere in the room a clock ticked, out of time. A tick here, then a pause for a few heartbeats, then another tick. "Why have you brought me here?"

Heavy-set with a wide face, the Don grinned at his two compatriots sat around the small table alongside Cucco and himself. "Think the lady is in a position to ask questions?"

One of the men – thin, wiry, with nervous darting eyes – smiled without much humour. "Reckon not, boss." The table wobbled, one of its legs uneven. A lantern stained thick with grease swung from the ornate glass ceiling. It squeaked as it twirled on its thin, waxed rope. "Reckon she just needs to relax and let everything just…" he grinned "…flow."

Cucco's gaze smouldered and her chin twitched as swallowed down her retort. Tears brimmed in her eyes.

"Naw," the Don said. "We're gentlemen. We'll tell the lady here exactly what she's here for."

Cucco's jaw stiffened. "I think I can imagine," she said. Her fingers flexed in nervous agitation. The clock ticked again. It was beginning to grate. "I would've thought you'd be interested in someone a little less…plain."

"Oh ho." Stained yellow teeth flashed in a broad grin. "Plain, is it? Think you know what's what, do ya? Didn't choose you because you were special. Chose you 'coz you were so easy to snatch." He set the glass down on the table and leaned back in his chair. It creaked in protest. "You're here to become one of our…'Ladies of the Night,' so to say. The more the merrier."

Cucco bit her lip as her eyes widened. Her gaze flew to the door behind the Don – that led to the front end of the shop. Behind her, she knew, was another door, leading out. She swallowed. She didn't have a prayer in reaching either one.

"Oh, don't be like that," the Don said, his own eyes swimming with amusement. "It's not what you think. Like I said – we're gentlemen. 'Ere. I'll show you." He scratched at a pair of circular scars in his neck and then clapped his beefy hands. "Send 'em in, Earl."

The door behind the Don swung open with a rasp. A line of silent women shuffled in, their odd presence radiating something of the unnatural. If Cucco had been expecting something a little more gaudy, she would've been disappointed. Draped in long, plain dresses, the women all had marble skin and blank, granite expressions. A black-haired one passed, then a brunette, then an older man with faded blond –

Cucco blinked. The Don froze. So did his men.

Link grinned. "Alright?"

The Don sprung to his feet, his chair clattering to the ground. Swords were already flashing from the gloved fists of the other two men.

"No, no," Link said cheerily. "Don't get up. Please. Not on my account."

"How'd you get in here?" the Don barked. "Where's Earl?"

"Earl? Is that his name? Good old Earl." Link smiled. His voice dropped. "Well. About Earl. If, for some unknown reason any of you gents are wearing a hat, I'd be taking it off in respect right about now." He looked at them all in turn. "If I were you."

The Don glowered, his dark eyes narrowing. "I don't know who are, but you clearly don't know who _we_ are. Creatures of the Night. All of us." Holding up a hand, he stopped the stained lantern mid-swing. He glanced around. "Ladies. Gents."

In response to his words, the women, the Don and his two stooges, began to shudder violently. Some of them moaned, others threw back their heads and let fly with shrill screams. The room trembled, and the lantern light flickered, momentarily plunging them all into a heartbeat of pure darkness. Link's wide eyes darted around, his fingers flexing, ready for the hilt of his sword.

The light returned. Fabric tore, the little table collapsed with a splintering crunch and, much to both Link and Cucco's shock, liquid black wings as long as man's arm sprouted from the Don's back. More clothes ruptured, and soon all the 'Creatures of the Night' flapped large, leathery wings. The Don looked up, his eyes crimson, the irides twin haloes of gold. Saliva dripped from a pair of long, sharp fangs.

Fear's icy touch kissed the Hero of Time's soul. Link's heart juddered with violent force. He wasn't about to show them that, though. "Nice," he said. "No, really. You wear it well. It's so…you, mate."

The Don spat two words in a gargling, gravelly voice. "Kill him."

Which was all Link wanted to know, really. His life was about to flash in front of his eyes. All of his lives. Which would take quite a long time, if truth be told. He just needed to assess the situation. He had no intention of taking them all of them on at once. He'd be torn apart. Quite literally, by the looks of things. Link felt the ocarina tremble within his coat. Bringing it swiftly to his lips, he played the Song of Time –

And the glass ceiling shattered as Link somersaulted in. The Don and his men were still seated around the table – _well, naturally, the ocarina just wiped out my previous little visit_ – and Link plummeted down riding a rain of glass splinters, long coat flowing behind him. He cracked into the table, snapping it neatly in two, then glanced up and grinned at the trio of shocked expressions. A kick to the jaw sent the Don toppling over into unconsciousness, and a pair of swift, sharp punches dealt with the other two.

Tinkling shards of glass crunched under Link's boots as he swept a chair up in one hand, strode over to the door, and wedged it under the handle. _There. That should take care of any untoward intrusions by a horde of no doubt angst-ridden vampire women. They might start reciting poetry. Fate worse than death. _Link ran back to Cucco, pulled her out her chair with a wrench to her arm, kicked open the back door and led her out into the mist-drenched alley.

Cucco tore herself away and staggered backward. "You…you maniac!"

Link glanced at her. "Hey, I just-"

"Look at me!"

Link did. The glass had cut thin rivulets of blood into her skin and had sliced thin strips from her dress. "Oh," he said. "Well. Um. Better than being a vampire, I suppose. Which is what they wanted from-"

Cucco stepped up to him, growled, and delivered a stinging slap to his face. "Try," she spat, eyes blazing. "Try and _think_, why don't you? I would have found my own way out. Just because I'm a spinster doesn't make me helpless." She caught her breath, chest heaving. "Now leave me be. I need to find my niece." She turned on her heel, then slipped into the mist. One last word flew back to him. "Maniac!"

Link watched her go, heart hollow. "Harsh," he whispered. "Not even a 'thank you.'"

He tried not to feel hurt. He knew – or, at least, that assassin Link knew – that wanting to be praised and hating to be criticised were just games of the ego that the Presence demanded be extinguished, but he just couldn't help it. Her words were unexpected, and his heart was a little sore. Just a little, though. He let out a breath, composed himself, then made his way out into the street.

Choices. Sometimes it was hard to know which ones were right, and which were not. Sometimes it was a mixture of the two. So, yes, he'd helped the little girl – wherever she was - rescue her aunt, but maybe he'd been a little too enthusiastic going about it. Maybe it would be the same with Ganondorf.

_Speaking of which…_

Link flung himself into a darkened alley, back pressed against the cold wall. The prince, who had just snuck out from one of the whitewashed houses, strode past. Link's eyes tracked him as he headed back towards the castle. _Oh, result!_

Once the prince was out of sight, the Hero of Time padded softly across the near-deserted street – those assassin's skills coming in useful once again – and reached the house Ganondorf had just departed from. One light still glowed from one of the lower rooms. Link's eyes scanned the area. No signs of life greeted him. A swirl of dry leaves rustled down the dark street, caught on an updraft. With one last sweep of his surroundings, Link poked his head up, and peered into the window.

His heart thudded. A man sat slumped in a chair, one arm draped over the rest, his hand clutching a bottle filled with thick, red liquid. His face looked quite haggard. In front of him, a woman leaned over a crib and rocked a baby to sleep. Link's ears pricked up, assassin skills honing in.

"It's done now," the woman said softly. "Everything's going to be fine." She smiled and patted her child. "Sleeping soundly now. He sounds a lot better."

A grim smile broke on the man's face. "At last. Can you believe he came all this way himself? Just to deliver the potion?"

"That's just the way he is, no doubt," the woman replied. "Be grateful."

"I am." The man held out his arms and grinned. "Come here."

Link drew away from the window. Straightening his tunic, he began striding down the street. He felt sick; sick with himself mostly, his heart awash with guilt. A sneak and a spy, watching people when he had no right to do so. He felt the Presence dim within. Chill air pulled at his face, and he huddled in closer to his coat for warmth.

A sudden surge of homesickness dizzied him. Everything was so much simpler back in his world. Ganondorf, Zelda, himself – so very simple and clear cut. Zelda's face – his Zelda –smiled in his mind's eye and his heart burned with a yearning so strong that his knees almost buckled. Simpler.

Link stopped short and let out a breath. _No it wasn't. Life isn't simple. Or easy. And no-one ever promised it would be, mate. _He remembered back to how he'd acted when he'd tried to woo Zelda, first when she'd been princess, then when she'd ascended to the throne queen. He'd acted like quite the pompous brat both times, despite the fact he was supposed to have been older and wiser the second time round.

Nah, life wasn't simple at all. What had he said to himself beforehand? Oh yes – ruminating too much would lead him down into the mud. He just had to let go, and do what he had to do. Things would work out. Everything for a reason, no? So. He'd been wrong about Ganondorf's intentions. At least, this time. Just let it go. Link felt his heart swell, felt the Presence strengthen, and let its sweetness slowly flood through him in relief. He smiled.

A tingle from within his coat made his eyebrows prick in surprise. The Ocarina of Time. Bringing it to his lips, he played the Song of Time –

And found himself in utter darkness. He tried to step backwards – and the back of his head smacked into something hard. Hands slowly reaching, his fingers bumped into something solid and flat. Left, right – same result. His nose twitched. Whatever this place was, it was surrounded by some sort of wall and filled with things both soft and long. He reached up in front of him, his fingers flitting through soft material, and then found the hard, flat surface yet again.

Link slipped the ocarina back into his coat. Now what was this all about? _Right. Need to formulate a plan. I could smash out of here, sword swinging. I could flip upwards, see if there's any sort of exit there. Or, I could…I could…I could…_

He decided to knock. What else could he do?

The doors swung open. A small, old woman stared at him with wide eyes. Oversized bangles jingled from her wrists. "What," she croaked, "are you doing in my wardrobe?"

"I don't know," Link replied. He looked around. The soft material he had touched. They were clothes. Women's clothes. "What _am_ I doing in your wardrobe?"

"Oh!" The woman's hand flew to her mouth. She took a step backwards, trembling. "Oh my! It's you! You're him! The man I met so many years ago! The man who saved my aunt!"

Link blinked, then stepped out into the room. Wan sunlight flowed in through a window, revealing a modestly decorated bedroom. He turned back to the woman. "How many years ago, did you say?"

"Oh…sixty…seventy." She gazed at him in shock. "But you look just as I remember you. Oh…it's my mind, isn't it? It's starting to go. Of course." Her body sagged, as though relieved from a heavy burden. "I always knew this time would come…"

Link watched as she drew a threadbare shawl around her shoulders. "Here, love" he said, his voice soft as he pulled a thick, wool scarf from his inside coat pocket. "Use this."

A small smile touched the woman's lips. "Thank you." Eyes closed, she pressed the scarf against her cheek. "It's wonderful."

"I'm Link," he said. "And you…?"

"Chick," she replied.

"Chick. Right. Figures."

"Well, that's people call me. You know, like a baby cucco…?"

He smiled. "What were you doing on the roof anyway? That night, I mean. When we met."

"Oh." She laughed. "So long ago. My aunt and I, we were going on a walk. We usually did, it was a bit of habit of ours. Just before dawn. And then these men, they snatched her. Snatched Cucco. Oh, but you know that already, don't you?" She sniffed. "I ran. I tried to find a soldier to help. There were two. One was asleep. Another couldn't care less. Shooed me away. I was so scared. So I climbed. I was good at climbing, in those days. I just did it on instinct…and then you were there and…oh…"

She shuffled across the room and stared up at the Hero with watery eyes. "I know you're not real. I know you're just in my mind. But…I just wanted to say…" She took in a deep breath, hitched, then said, "I just wanted to say _thank you._ Not just for what you did. I mean, my aunt was in _such_ a state when I found her. But thank you…for showing me…showing me that someone can make a difference."

Link gazed at her, transfixed, not knowing what to say. She pushed her trembling hands together. "We weren't very rich, you know" she said. "Just living for ourselves. No one would give us a second look. Like those soldiers. But…you know…after that night. I just wanted to help. Help others like me. People who had no one else. I just helped in little ways. Stitching their clothes, helping them bake bread. Nothing grand. But it was enough. It was my life. My entire life." Her eyes brimmed over with tears. "Thank you."

Link felt the ocarina tremble again, and knew it was time to go. He smiled at Chick – what could he say, really? – and she smiled back, seemingly at ease with his silence. Contentment shone in the Hero of Time's heart. Not because he'd finally been thanked, no. But because the little girl he'd decided to help had done such wonders with her life. Small wonders, mind. But wonders enough.

As he brought the ocarina to his lips, Link realised that perhaps, maybe, possibly Ganondorf could also be so inspired. Maybe the Gerudo wasn't in it for himself this time. A ribbon of light wrapped itself around him and Link readied himself to go back. Those niggling doubts wouldn't leave him, though, and he knew they wouldn't. He'd just have to keep them under control. That, Link realised, was simply the right choice to make.


	11. Trek to Death Mountain

**11. Trek to Death Mountain**

Dirt flew from under galloping hooves. Princess Midna, liquid gold sunlight running down the outline of her armoured form, pulled back on her reins, her neighing horse rearing up on its hind legs. A smile flashed from under her helm. "Win _my_ love, would you, aye?"

The prince brought his snorting ride around. "I will!" he cried. "In such a corrupt world, nothing remains but the gem of your purity. And I – _I_ declare myself worthy of it!"

The princess, neck stiff and head held high, turned away. She flicked at her reins – a wholly dismissive gesture. "Ha! Such conceit!"

Standing high in his stirrups, the prince refused to be cowed. "I see that a worm of the world's darkness has crept into your otherwise untainted heart." He smiled, breathing heavily. "A shadow that can only be dispelled by my light."

The princess pulled her ride away. "Mere words will not win this fair maiden's soul, I assure you, good sir."

Leather creaked as the prince's gloved hand shut into a fist. "Very well, deny me, then. Yes, deny me. But once I have conquered Death Mountain and brought you the one last Spiritual Stone then, only then, will you know of my true worth."

Midna's eyes fluttered in mock modesty. "Prove it, then," she said, her voice both soft and husky. "And I may reconsider. But for now, sir – you and I both wait."

Zelda saw Link lean in towards her from the corner of her eye. "Are they done yet?" he said.

"Yeah," she replied. "You can open your eyes now."

Stiff, sore and every aching muscle leaden with fatigue, Zelda kicked at her mare and followed the now laughing prince and princess down the trail that led into the town of Kakariko. Her tunic was stiff and dirty from the many days they'd spent travelling. In the distance, the craggy outline of Death Mountain dominated the landscape, tinged blue with ice. It mirrored the cold unease Zelda felt at the very centre of her soul.

_I can't shake it off. Like there's something that's going to go wrong._

Up ahead, the prince came to a halt. "Honour guard," he called. "I no longer require your services. We will make our own way to the mountain."

Zelda looked up as a buzzing whirlpool of air sent ripples down her clothes. Directly above, wings blurred, hovered one of Ganondorf's soldiers. He was encased in jade armour, whirring gears and the occasional gout of steam working the thin, membrane wings that sprouted gracefully from his back. Dragonwing Armour is what the prince called it. Link, somewhat sourly, referred to it as a 'Great Big Fairy.'

Below him stalked a hulking, clanking machine, decked in bronze and sitting squat atop eight spindly legs. Another soldier peeked out from an egg-shaped cockpit of glass. Behind him, a long craning catapult sat ready to launch the steady supply of boulders that waited deep inside its large torso. Its underbelly was a mass of copper and glass tubes, hissing with myriad boiling liquids. This one, the prince had informed her, was named the Tarantula Shell.

A pair of stiff salutes sent the two soldiers on their way, both machines, despite the disparity in size, moving as swiftly as an arrow tearing through the air. The Captain-of-the-Guards, despite the prince's heated responses, demanded that the war machines accompany them. Eventually Ganondorf relented, but only on condition that they follow him no further than Kakariko.

There was just the five of them now: herself, Link, Midna, the prince and a lone guardsman named Sparrow. The other princes, grumbling at the unfairness of the princess aligning herself with _this _prince's party, had made their own way to Death Mountain.

"Come, my friends!" the prince said, looking over his shoulder and beckoning. "Come join us."

"At your beck and call, sir," Link muttered under his breath.

"Play nice," Zelda replied, squeezing her horse into a trot. Not for the first time on this trip, Zelda felt pretty amazed that the mare responded to her touch at all. The night that they'd met Rauru – all of three days ago for a 'normal' person – hadn't even reached midnight before they'd received a message from the prince that their trek was to be on horseback and not by train or airship. He'd wanted it to be more of an 'adventure.' Link had then decided that she needed to add a few more skills to her repertoire. Using the Ocarina of Time, he'd taken her to the place called Lon Lon Ranch. He wouldn't say if it was the past or the future – he claimed it wasn't important – and wouldn't let her set foot outside of its boundary, but there she'd spent a month learning how to ride a horse.

_It's strange, though. How that place was so deserted. Hadn't that girl in the market said that she lived there with someone called Da'? _ She had tried to ask Link, but he wouldn't take the bait.

A month, though. A month putting up with both the Hero's frustrating idiosyncrasies and his sudden flights of genuine kindness, his almost infectious energy tempered at times with his bouts of dark melancholy. He would never replace the bond she and Saria shared – no way - or the awe that the Great Deku Tree had held over her, but he had become something she hadn't expected to find when she'd set out from the forest: a friend.

That hadn't been all, though. A glance down at the short sword now tucked into her belt reminded her of that. They'd spent another two weeks camped beside Lake Hylia, watching the mist roll of the gentle waves as Link had instructed in her in the finer art of swordplay. Zelda had tried to pay attention, she really had. It wasn't her fault that she'd never seen the lake before. All she could do was stare, transfixed, muttering _calm like Lake Hylia, calm like Lake Hylia _over and over until Link threatened to slap her silly. Not that she believed he ever would.

And, yet, despite all that she'd learned, she'd found that she was still the same old Zelda, full of the same yearnings and insecurities. For some reason she'd hoped that these new skills would have changed her in a more striking manner.

_But maybe that's it, isn't it? Maybe you don't suddenly become this ice-cool warrior overnight. Maybe everything stays the same, except that you learn new ways to deal with it all. Better ways. _

Her mind needled its way back through her memories as she remembered standing in a wooden shack just on the edge of the lake…

*

It was quiet here, peaceful. Sunlight angled in like a spear, disturbing the dust motes spinning lazily in the air, and stroked her face with a gentle warmness. Folding her arms on the sill, she let her head rest upon her wrists, chewing at her skin like a child as she gazed out at the lake. The water was eerily still, and the vastness of it helped bring clarity to her mind. The quiet serenity soothed. Silence, apart from her breathing, filled her ears, and her eyes began to feel heavy.

"Why so glum?"

Zelda's ears pricked at the sound of Link's voice. She heard him shuffle into the hut. She didn't turn around. Not yet.

Link didn't wait for her to reply. "It's nice, no? I used to come here a lot. Like a balm to my heart." He laughed. "Blimey. Sound like a complete fool, don't I?"

Zelda's heart softened towards him, then. "No," she said, a laugh in her voice. "On your own?"

"What's that?"

"I mean," she said. "Did you come here on your own? Or with the queen?"

"By myself, mostly," he said. A pause, then: "Hey, don't look so sad. It doesn't suit you. Sadness, that is. Doesn't suit your face."

Zelda smiled. "I'm not sad. Not really." He took in a deep breath. "Just missing home, I guess. Which is strange, considering I couldn't wait to leave." She bit her lower lip. "Now I can't wait to go back. Wonder if I ever will."

There was silence, then: "Worry so much about what's yet to come, and you'll miss what you have in front of you. Look at you. A Kokiri who's been to the castle. Been to Lake Hylia. Going to Death Mountain. You've seen more than most of them ever will." He shuffled behind her. "Just have the wind in your face and the sun on your back, that's what I say. And that scent, you know? After the rain, there's that earthy scent that just tingles your skin, doesn't it? Makes you want to breathe sweet air, makes your heart all full with joy and – what're you laughing at?"

"You," Zelda replied, smiling again. "You're this big 'Hero,' this warrior, but you sound like a poet." The sun fell across her face for a moment, and Zelda blinked it away, reaching up to flick at a loose strand of her hair. "You learnt it from her, didn't you? Your Zelda?"

"Clever, aren't you?"

"I wish I could have met her. She sounds…grand."

There was another fill of silence. "Sometimes," Link said, "I wish I could be more than this bundle of hopes and desires and whisperings and doubts and failures and successes." There was a yearning in his words, a yearning that made Zelda's heart tighten with sympathy. "You get what I'm saying?"

She did turn to him now. "Yeah," she said, not realising that truth until that very moment. "I do."

His eyes met hers. "Then it comes to me. Or it did after I merged with all the other Links. It comes to me that the more I think about it, the more self-conscious I become, you know? I mean, I end up doing something and then waiting around to see if someone's noticed or what they've said and, you know, that sort of thing." This time he took in a deep breath. "So these other Links – well, one of them, I think – he says to me…he says… the only way to be _something_ is to think of myself…as being nothing."

She frowned, and Link laughed. "Doesn't make sense to me, either, love."

The memory dissolved.

*

Zelda drew up alongside the princess while Link followed suit beside the prince. Midna smiled down at Zelda and she felt compelled to respond in kind. Carefree and laid-back, Zelda found herself liking the princess more than she thought she would.

"Don't hang back like a pair of snivelling maids," the prince said. "My princess and I are merely indulging in some good natured sport. You should both join in!"

"Oh, yes?" said Link, his voice sour. "Shall we all bake a cake? I don't think you're old enough for anything else. It could be a fluffy one with lots of candles." He smiled, a glint in his eye. "Would you like me to blow them out for you?"

Midna laughed and Zelda saw the conflict of emotions run across Ganondorf's face. The prince clearly wanted to hit back with some witticism of his own – probably to win favour with the princess – and felt a little taken aback at having the advantage taken from him. Zelda guessed that he'd fall back onto his authority instead.

"So, tell me, _old man_," the prince said. "What's your plan again?"

"Well," Link replied. "We take the trail. It's just past Kakariko." He rubbed the bristles on his chin. "Thing is, though, can't take the horses. It'll spook 'em. You'll see. Well. You won't. Because we'll be leaving them behind, no?" He shifted in his saddle. "So. We leave the little beasties at the foot of the mountain. Up there, I'll show us a way to get to Dodongo's cavern before any of those other fairy boys can find a way in. You remember what you have to do, right?"

The prince stiffened, unused to being lectured to. "Strike it thrice on the extremity that is its tail."

"Oh, there it goes, that whole royal language thing," Link grinned. "I used to talk like that. Come to think of it, we all did. Must have sounded like _such _a complete moron, like I had –"He saw them all looking at him. "Not that any of you in _any_ way resemble anything moronic or _anything _related to the distant and almost completely unknown race known as 'moron' which is what I was _clearly_ referring to."

Link cleared his throat quickly, then licked his lips and leaned in close to the prince. "Go on. Say 'thrice' again. Or 'extremity.' Go _on._ Really makes me tingle."

Ganondorf stared back, aghast. "Are you ill?"

Hearing Midna snicker under her breath made the prince sit up straight in his saddle. "We approach the town," he said, all regal once again. "Be ready."

Met by the Governor of Kakariko they were led down narrow, winding streets, hemmed in by buildings of wood and stone that Zelda found beautiful; the worn, stained facades revealing the simplicity of the craftsmanship, the crooked pointed roofs, disjointed like bent and broken nails, sitting upon whitewashed walls that curved up so close to the other that they almost kissed. Wooden shutters flew open from the upper floors, revealing maids, wives and scullions who passed spilling pails of water to each other, or paused to pour scented, lilac blossom down onto the royal entourage, or even just to pass over food, leftovers from one family's meal more than enough for another. Zelda just had to smile at it all.

It grew colder as they drew closer to Death Mountain. A huge windmill loomed over the town, ticking like a clock, its sails heavy with snow. _Really, what a nice place, _Zelda mused. _It's…what's the word?...Idyllic. Yeah. Idyllic. _A scream shattered her thoughts.

Her head snapped up. She saw short, stout creatures, swinelike in appearance and oozing slime from their cratered, green skin, burst out from the shadows, swords at the ready. She heard screams and shouts, so raw with fear that her blood froze, heard the thunder of boots fleeing in panic, saw Link fly from his saddle, blade in hand. Rickety wooden carts went flying across the path, overturning with a lurch and spilling produce all across the ground. Somewhere, glass shattered. Zelda felt the air tighten around her, felt a sudden wave of heat pound the sweat from her skin, in spite of the chill air. She tried to pull on her reins, but her hand missed. Something rammed into her ride, and Zelda slipped from her saddle and cracked into the cold ground.

"Girl!"

Zelda whirled around to see Ganondorf galloping towards her, his cloak streaming out from behind. Her eyes widened at the sight. All the breath left her body as he scooped her up in one arm and rode off, the thunder of hooves ringing in her ears. Mind whirling, the world jolted up and down in Zelda's vision. They horse winded back toward the town square, then reared up as another of the grunting creatures fell upon it.

Both Zelda and the prince drew back in shock. The creature snarled, slime dripping from its yellowed fangs, then began jabbing its sword in their direction. It smiled an ugly smile.

A sword exploded from the centre of its chest, sending a powder of green flesh flying in all directions. The blade slid out and the creature slumped to the ground. Link stood behind it, his weapon dripping olive coloured gore.

Link winked. "Your Majesty-ness."

The prince acknowledged the Hero with a nod, then turned his horse away. Ganondorf set Zelda down onto the ground. She looked up, saw that Link had finished off all but one of the other creatures. Sparrow stood guard over that one. There was something wrong, though. Something strange. She caught it a moment later. It was quiet. Too quiet. Around and around she turned, and all she could see were the townsfolk, eyes wide, jaws dropped.

Then they erupted. "The prince! The prince! All hail the prince!"

Ganondorf tried to wave it away, his eyes lowered, his cheeks tinted rose. Midna grinned, laughing as she leaned back in her saddle. Link, arms folded across his chest, wore an expression that would have curdled milk at ten paces.

She turned to the prince. "Well, um. Thank you, Your Majesty." She curtsied. Zelda raised her voice, so loud was the cheering crowd now. "Thank you for saving me."

Ganondorf waved her words away. "Oh, it was nothing."

She threw Link a meaningful glance. _See?_ she tried to say with her eyes. _He isn't faking it. It's not just to be adored._

Link caught her gaze, shrugged, and turned away. No way was she going to let this go, though. Now she had proof! She strode up to him, folded her own arms, and glared.

Link stared back for a heartbeat, then his face softened. "Alright, you win," he said, smiling.

Zelda almost flinched. "Really?"

Fatigue flooded into the Hero's face. He suddenly looked decades older. "Ganondorf the Hero." He sighed. "Well. Tremendous. Stupendous. Momentous. I admit it. That can only mean one thing, right?"

"What?"

"That I clearly don't belong here. So. Let's finish this off as we quickly as we can, no?" His voice dropped. "Next thing you'll be telling me is that there's a world populated entirely by cuccos who keep us regular people caged like pets." He shivered. "The less I see of all these other Hyrules the better, that's what I say. Isn't there one where everything is turned into a duck? I like ducks. Ducks are good. I could sit around a fire all night sharing stories about ducks. Duck tales, I'd call it. Duck tales. Woo hoo."

Zelda laughed. "I knew you'd come around."

Link looked at her. "You alright, though? Must have been quite a scare." He ran a hand through his hair. "I should've been there earlier. I'm sorry-"

"Hey," Zelda interrupted. "It's okay, I'm fine. You came when I needed you. Thanks." She sniffed. "Anyway. If I hadn't have been distracted, I could have taken it."

Link grinned. "That's the spirit!"

"Where'd those things come from, anyway?"

"Who knows? Could be a welcoming party. Dodongo might know we're coming. Doubt it, though." Link leaned in closer, as though about to share a secret. "Thick as two short planks, if you know what I mean." Straightening up, he peered off into the distance. "I'm just going to pop into one of these taverns here." He lifted a sagging leather pouch. "Fill up with water. Need anything?"

"No, I'm fine, thanks." She watched Link stride off down the road. He then slipped into one of the distant buildings. Turning back, she saw the prince, sword in hand, standing in front of their lone prisoner. A crowd had formed around them. Frowning, Zelda pushed her way through.

The stench of fear hung in the air. The swinelike creature, tiny eyes round, cowered in front of the prince. Ganondorf's face was as hard and smooth as polished marble.

"Attack me, will you?" A quiet thread of venom ran through the prince's voice. "Attack my love?"

Liquid fast, Ganondorf sprang forward and sliced off one of the creature's arms. It threw back its head and howled. The crowd watched, hushed. Sparrow glared at them, a warning not to interfere. Midna, her face tight, couldn't seem to decide whether she wanted to look or not. Zelda had her fist in her mouth.

Ganondorf pounced again. The other arm went flying, and the creature rocked back and forth on its knees, gore splattering the ground on either side.

"I think," said Midna, her voice choked. "I think it has had enough. Finish it off or let it go."

The prince glanced at her, then leapt again, slicing one leg off above the knee. The creature's shuddering body fell to the ground with a wed thud. Ganondorf leaned in close. "Be grateful that my love has such a soft heart," he said, "or else I would have left you here to die slowly." A final thrust through the heart, and the creature was still.

Zelda felt hot blood pump in her ears. Silence enshrouded her, punctured only by a townsman's cough here, a little girl sniffing there. Then the crowd exploded once again: "The prince! The prince! All hail the prince!"

Zelda looked around, her body and soul numb. What was wrong with these people?

"Are they still at it, then?" Zelda jumped at the sound of Link's voice. She could only stare back, blank-faced. Link frowned. "What's wrong, love?"

He caught sight of the corpse. "What happened here?"

Ganondorf approached, Midna and Sparrow behind. The prince glanced at Link. "Just a little lesson that needed to be taught," Ganondorf said. "If that creature has any friends, they'll think twice about attacking us again. Isn't that right, princess?"

Midna shrugged, but kept her gaze lowered. "I suppose you are right."

Link's own eyes narrowed, but the princess went on: "This jaunt is souring a bit. It was meant to be fun, after all. Let's move on, shall we?"

As the royal couple and their guard moved off, the Hero of Time turned to his Kokiri companion. "Zelda?"

And for some reason – she didn't know what – Zelda didn't want to tell him. "The prince is right. It would've killed us if we hadn't killed it." She quickly walked past him. Come on, before they get too far ahead!"

*

After all that, the trip to Death Mountain was remarkably uneventful. Splinters of ice burst under the spiked boots that they'd had made especially for this quest. They carried their normal boots in their reddened hands. The chill wind howled in Zelda's ears as snow flew into her eyes, nose and mouth. She huddled tighter in her furred cloak. Link, she noticed, was still wearing his long, green coat. Head bowed, coat streaming in the wind behind him, he walked headfirst into the snow-draped air. She wondered why he didn't feel the cold. They didn't speak. The Hero of Time led the way; a gesture here, a gesture there.

Snowflakes whispered softly to the ground, some glowing with an eerie light, others glinting as they twisted, turned and spun in the faint breeze. Zelda looked over her shoulder. Inky twilight stained the horizon and crept into the sky. Far, far away she could see the castle, a tiny speck of darkness, hovering over the sprinkle of lantern lights coming to life in Kakariko.

A cold, ominous knot formed in the centre of her soul, just as it had done when she'd eyed the mountain from outside Kakariko. Zelda couldn't help it. She was scared. Not just because of what they had to face inside, but because of the shadowy sense of foreboding pricking her at the edge of her consciousness.

_What if we don't all come back alive? _A moment later, a second thought: _What if it's _**me** _who doesn't come back?_

They skirted their way around an immense fountain. Frozen solid, the jagged spiral of ice spiked skyward, glistening and crackling in the wind. The sheer beauty of it stole Zelda's heart, so much so that she almost missed Link holding up a hand as he came to stop outside a dark opening. "This way," he said, shading his eyes from the snow. A curtain of blue icicles hung from the roof, whistling as the wind made them tremble. "To Dodongo's Cavern. In through here and we won't have to explain ourselves to any wandering Gorons."

The prince turned to Sparrow. "Stay here," he said. Breath escaped from his lips in a plume of steam. "This I have to without aid from any of my men."

Sparrow, back stiff, saluted in return while the rest of them changed their boots. A mantle of snow fell from Zelda's cloak as she followed the others into the cavern. It was, to no surprise to her, a tunnel first. The air here was surprisingly warm and her chilled skin began to tingle as it thawed. Rocks glistened with their own light, and they found they could make their way without any need for a torch.

Link stopped at a fork in the path. Head cocked to the right, the Hero looked quite distracted. The ominous feeling in Zelda's soul widened into a pit of darkness.

"To the left," he said, his voice low. "That's where Dodongo is."

"Excellent!" The prince slapped his gloved hands together. "Come, my love. Let us make haste."

Zelda watched the prince and princess make their way, then turned to face the Hero. He shuffled into the passageway to the right. "Link?" she said. Her voice sounded small, and echoed in the air. "Is anything wrong?"

Rocks spinning from under her boots, Zelda scrambled around the corner. There, she found Link staring transfixed into a large man-sized hole that glowed with a lavender hue. The Hero still wasn't saying anything, so Zelda crept in closer. Images flashed in the light. She saw strange places, and even stranger people. Her heart froze. For a moment, she thought that she'd seen herself – but older, taller, with a thin face lined with age.

Zelda watched as Link slowly raised a hand to the light. It pierced through, as though the light was nothing but water. The purple glow swallowed his hand.

Zelda forced the tightness from her throat. "Link?" she said. "What is it? What is this thing?"

Link's eyes remained pinned to the light. "Home," he said, lilac shadows dancing on his face. "It's my way home."


	12. Mortal Combat

**12. Mortal Combat**

It was the prince's surprised shout that dragged Link and Zelda away from the slowly swirling portal and sent them running into Dodongo's Cavern. Relief washed away Zelda's trepidation, and she felt glad for the distraction. She began to slow her pace. Ganondorf and Midna stood in the centre of a pool of light in the darkened grotto. Before them, resting on its side, was a massive, broken skull belonging to some no-doubt ugly looking beast, teeth chipped and eye sockets staring into blank oblivion. Above that, spinning in the shaft of light, was a tanned circular stone.

Link stopped in front of the prince. "I see you found Dodongo, then," he said, nodding at the skull. "Always was a possibility, this. You know, him expiring in the current climate. Ice doesn't sit well with him, you see. Well. Like me and tomatoes, really. Makes me come out in a terrible rash. All these pimples running down…" His voice wilted under the prince's molten stare. Link cleared his throat. "So," he said, smacking his lips together. "Dead Dodongo. Dodongo dead. And here we all are, standing by his head." He clicked his tongue. "Fancy adding another line…? Could be quite the hit with the minstrels, no? What rhymes with head?"

"'Always was a possibility…?'" A muscle twitched in Ganondorf's cheek. "'_Always was a possibility?'"_

"I did mention that before we left, no?"

Now a muscle began to throb in the prince's temple. "No," he spat. "You did not."

"Oh," said Link, scratching his cheek. "How remiss." Something twinkled in the Hero's eye. Zelda was certain that it was something that suspiciously resembled amusement. The air between the two men seemed suddenly charged. She decided to step away. A glance in Midna's direction told Zelda that the princess was far from impressed.

"I'm terribly sorry," Link went on. "I do apologise." He reached into his coat, rummaged around for a bit, then pulled out a clear jar filled with some orange-looking substance. Smiling, he unscrewed the lid, then held it out for the prince. "Marmalade?"

Ganondorf's hand balled into a fist. "I hope you're taking this seriously," he said, his echoing voice as cold as the icy mountain itself. "Capturing this stone was…_important _to me." He glanced at Midna. "To win this fair maiden's heart, of course. I will not tolerate any sabotage on your part, sir."

Link dipped a finger into the jar. "The Spiritual Stone's right there if you want it." He nodded towards the spinning rock, then licked the marmalade off his finger. "Though I'm not sure how you'd get it down. Between you and me, it looks like someone's cast a spell on it. And if that is the case, then I'd wager that we're about to have company any minute-"

A circle of torches burst to life with a whoosh. Spinning, the four adventurers huddled together, back-to-back, their darting eyes scanning. The light revealed the cavern to be circular in shape, layered with soft sand and surrounded by a series of ascending rock benches. Benches now filled with row upon row of round, rotund Gorons.

Zelda gazed around in awe. There were so many of them. Some of them wore sleeveless tunics, others strange triangular hats. There were Gorons lounging back on the benches, picking at their teeth, and others who munched on glistening pebbles that steamed as they scooped them into their mouths by the handful. _How had they kept themselves so quiet?_

Another shaft of light revealed a raised dais, so tall that it almost reached the craggy ceiling. A lone Goron stood there, dressed in dark ceremonial robes. His eyes took in the scene with imperious detachment. He spoke, his strong voice reverberating through the air. "Here come some new challengers!"

The assembled Gorons exploded into a cacophony of cheers and whistles, their stamping feet sending shudders down into the ground. Ganondorf stepped forward and pinned the speaker with a regal stare. "What goes on here?" he cried. "I demand to be told. Where is Darunia and-"

"Darunia?" the speaker cut in. "Darunia? Hear that, brothers and sisters? Darunia! Ha!" As if on cue, the crowd burst out into peals of laughter. "_I _am the Ringmaster, worm, and Darunia does not rule here - I do." His cold, black eyes glistened. "He doesn't even know that this exists."

The prince stood his ground. "And what is 'this,' exactly?"

"Well," the Ringmaster said, still laughing. "This _was _going to the final of the Seven Rocks of Shadow tournament. Winner, this year, takes the Spiritual Stone. But it seems, if we overheard correctly, that you are willing to throw in your hats. For the Stone, that is. You're more than welcome. We do love a bit of sport, don't we, brothers and sisters?" The crowd roared in the affirmative. Sniffing, the Ringmaster cleared his voice with noisy exaggeration. "All except that little girl. Let no-one say we Gorons are uncivilised. No children."

Zelda folded her arms and scowled. "Oh, _charming_."

Now it was the princess who stepped forward. "What's the nature of this tournament?" she called. "And if this was meant to be the final, then where are the participants?"

"Beloved," Ganondorf said, his voice urgent. "Stay behind. Let me handle this. Do not risk yourself."

Midna held up a hand. "Not on your life. Twili women don't 'stay behind.' Better get used to it…" she smiled, "…beloved." Her wink sent the prince into a paroxysm of surprise and delirious joy.

"Oh, great," Link muttered. "Domestic."

The Ringmaster hadn't noticed the exchange. "The nature of the tournament?" Grinning, he surveyed the crowd with theatrical slowness. "Why…it's perfectly simple. Best two out of three rounds. Winner is the last man - or woman – standing. You just have to make sure your opponent is knocked flat on their back. As for the finalists…" He clapped his hands and a rusted gate screeched its way open on the far side of the cavern. Two figures stepped through.

"In-tro-du-cing first!" the Ringmaster bellowed, revelling in his role as the master showman. "Hailing from parts unknown, she's sleek, petite, and a killing freak – she is…the _Maid of Blades_!" The woman that stepped into the roaring crowd's sight was thin, short, and dressed in a gown that Zelda knew from the Know-it-all Brothers was called a kimono. Hair tied in a bun, she carried an empty silver platter daintily on one palm. Painted lips formed a crimson smile.

"She doesn't look like much of a fighter," Zelda whispered.

The princess snorted in reply. "Those are the ones you have to watch out for the most, dear."

A hush fell over the crowd. Zelda felt her skin prickle, felt the sudden anticipation crackling in the air.

"And now," the Ringmaster said, his voice quiet. "In-tro-du-cing next…" The crowd leaned forward in unison. Knuckles cracked, and jaws hung open with naked expectation. A murmur ran through the Gorons. "He hails from right here in Death Mountain, and he is the ten-time consecutive winner of the Seven Shadows of Rock tournament."

The murmur ebbed, then grew as the biggest Goron Zelda had ever seen – not that she'd seen that many anyway – lurched into view, muscles rippling under his golden skin. He raised a thick arm to greet the now rabid crowd.

"He is the defending champion of the worrrrrrllllld…he is-" the crowd were on their feet, the cavern shaking as their single voice reached an almighty crescendo, "- _The Unwanted Spawn of the Outcast Jerunia - Iron Tiger Nine_!"

Link shook his head. "Harsh."

Zelda elbowed him in the ribs and whispered, "I think that really is his name."

Link blinked. "Oh."

Iron Tiger Nine's eyes then fell upon the four adventurers, measuring them one-by-one. He gave Zelda the briefest of glances, but when his gaze fell upon Midna, he stopped, his mouth stretching into a grin.

"Oh, I'll have that wench." He licked his lips. "Keep her for my…personal collection."

Steel spun, and the princess had a dagger ready in her hand. "I'll have your head for mine."

The Ringmaster roared along with the crowd. "Oh, we do like it when they purr!" he giggled. "But, tell us. Who are you strangers?"

Ganondorf's sword slid free from its leather prison. "I am the Prince of Hyrule." His gaze took in the entire crowd. "_Your_ prince."

Nothing met him except a wall of pure derision, catcalls and jeers that rained down upon his head. "Our prince, he says," the Ringmaster cackled. "That's a good one. There were some princes sniffing around the mountain just a few hours ago." The Goron's face darkened. "We killed them all._ Tasty._" A cold smile hung from the Ringmaster's face. "And the rest of your motley crew?"

Ganondorf blinked, stunned by the revelation. He cleared his throat. "This is the Princess of the Twili," he said. "And my-"

"His betrothed," said Midna.

The prince smiled. "My betrothed. And these are my travelling companions – little Zelda of the Kokiri, and Link-" his smiled widened "- of parts unknown."

The Hero of Time waved. "Hello!" he said. "Now if we could all just discuss this in a civil-"

"So," the Ringmaster cut in. "Do you accept the challenge, prince?"

Ganondorf's hand tightened around the pommel of his sword. "I do."

Link's palm met his face. "Oh, for the love of-"

"Let's make this _interesting_, then,_"_ the Ringmaster said. "Since there are now five of you, one should proceed to the final on a bye. And that, based on your oh-so-illustrious position, should be _you_, Prince of Hyrule."

Iron Tiger Nine stiffened. "This is unfair!" he bellowed. "Equal fights for-"

"What?" the Ringmaster interrupted, robes swirling as he turned. His voice twisted with disdain. "Not good enough to get to the final yourself, Tiger?"

Tiger glowered, and then backed down. "As you wish."

"Excellent!" The Ringmaster wore an expression of pure self-satisfaction. "So, in addition to defeating your opponent, you semi-finalists will now also be awarded points based on how aggressive, effective and entertaining your offensive strategy is. Therefore, out of the two winners, whoever has the most points – awarded by myself, of course – will proceed to the final to face the Prince of Hyrule himself for the Spiritual Stone."

With another exaggerated twirl, he turned to the crowd. "What say you, brothers and sisters?" The Gorons thundered their approval. The Ringmaster grinned, and turned back to the prince. "And you?"

Ganondorf held up his blade. "I say 'aye!'"

Midna's fingers flexed and unflexed. "And I say 'aye', too!"

Link was up next. "And I say," the Hero cried as he held up his jar. "Marmalade? No? Plenty to go around, you know."

*

"Round One!" The Ringmaster sent a silk scarf fluttering from his dais. "Fight!"

Midna stepped forward. Ahead of her was the grotesquely large form of the grinning Iron Tiger Nine. Waves of naked fat rippled as he stamped his feet. The crowd echoed his gesture in time. She saw the raw lust that hungered in those black eyes and dismissed it. It was a look she'd grown accustomed to from the many weak-minded, undisciplined men – boys, more like – that had tried to win her in the past few years. She didn't care. Her prince had proven himself to her – his deeds, the things he'd done for his people – and now it was time for her to prove herself to him. Even if it meant besting him in the final. And why not? That wouldn't be out of place in any Twili marriage back home.

And yet…the image of Ganondorf slaughtering his prisoner back in Kakariko flicked, unbidden, into her mind. She blinked, disoriented – and that heartbeat of hesitation was enough for Tiger to strike the first blow. The Goron's meaty fist spun, then cracked into the side of her skull, sending her careening into the ground in a cloud of dirt.

The Ringmaster held up a fist. "Winner of the first round – Iron Tiger Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!"

Boos rang through Midna's spinning head. "We paid good rupees for this!" someone shouted. "At least try and fight, woman!" another echoed.

She spat out a wad of blood. Her tongue, tasting copper and salt, probed a loosened tooth. The physical pain was nothing. The humiliation, on the other hand, burned. She glanced over at where her friends stood. Little Zelda had her fist in her mouth and Ganondorf, his own fists trembling, willed her on with his eyes. The other man, Link, stood with arms crossed, face impassive.

Her eyes focused on the prince. She'd made her choice, for better or worse. There was no turning back. Her pride had spoken over her head, and her pride wouldn't allow her to simper out of it now. She could tame her man. All Twili women could.

"Come on, wench," Tiger murmured. "Make a match of it. I need the points." He licked his lips again. "And then afterwards….well, we could make our own, more intimate match, don't you think?"

Midna's head snapped up, eyes ablaze. "Oh, _shut up_."

"Round Two!" Another scarf took to the air. "Fight!"

With surprisingly graceful speed, Tiger lunged forward with both arms – but too late. Midna had already sprung into the air, daggers sliding free. She landed hard on his shoulders, then somersaulted again. Hitting the ground, Midna twisted around and thrust both daggers up. A blur of flesh followed; Tiger blocked the attack by quickly crossing both his arms into an 'X'. The crowd noisily voiced its approval.

Her blades hadn't even left a scratch on his skin. The Goron's grinning face peered down at the princess' shocked eyes. Her expression darkened. "You want to get intimate, dear?" she whispered. "Let's get intimate." She threw herself backwards, spine arcing, and sent her boot flying into Tiger's groin.

The entire crowd winced in sympathy with the Goron's pained expression. Midna didn't waste time. She began wailing away on the back of Tiger's fat head, her fists, still clinging to her daggers, smashing against solid bone.

"Fall," she panted. "Fall! Fa-"

Swift as a viper's strike, Iron Tiger Nine's hand shot up and curled itself around the princess' throat. Feet dangling, Midna felt herself be lifted off the ground. The sound of the baying crowd faded to a dull roar. She saw scarlet pearls dance in her eyes, and inky darkness seeped in at the corner of her vision. She felt herself fade…fade… She lifted her arms -

And plunged both daggers into the Goron's head. Instantly the weight around her throat vanished. Midna fell to the ground in a heap, gasping for sweet, cold air. Bright light stung her eyes. She looked up. Tiger pulled the blades out from his head one by one, looked at them with disdain, then flung the bent metal aside. They hadn't gone in as deep as she'd thought they had – perhaps only a half inch. Still, she had the satisfaction of seeing twin scarlet trails run down both sides of his head.

Strength sapped, Midna drew herself shakily to her feet. Still the Goron stalked her, moving slowly, arms outstretched. It was his smile that rankled the most. It spoke of his impending victory, of the sweetness that he would clearly take from it.

Midna snarled, adrenaline flooding her battered limbs. She took a step forward, a second, then launched herself forward, feet first. Her boot crunched into his jaw, snapping his head to one side. Hitting the ground, the princess swept her leg, hoping to take those tree-like limbs out from under him, but he spun away easily. She followed through with a swift, swinging punch that made a satisfyingly hard crack against the Goron's nose. A sharp elbow to the head had him reeling, rocking back and forth in a daze. The shocked crowd were on their feet.

The princess smiled. "See you later." She somersaulted into the air, ready to deliver a knockout kick and -

The Goron's slack expression suddenly snapped back to life. "No. See _you_."

Shock ran through the entire length of Midna's body as Iron Tiger Nine caught her by the throat in mid-air. She hung there, frozen, for a heartbeat, then the air whistled past her face as she hurtled down, down, down. When the hard ground smashed into her spine, it wrenched from her throat a scream laced with pain, frustration and utter humiliation.

The Ringmaster held up both fists. "The winner of this match by two rounds to zero…_Iron Tiger Niiiiiiiiiiiiine!_"

Ganondorf was by her side in an instant, sand pluming as he slid to the ground on his knees. "Beloved!"

Midna, blood streaming from her nose, pushed him aside and crawled away. She felt Zelda touch her arm, but couldn't summon up the strength to acknowledge the young girl. The taste of ash settled on her tongue. Heavy and bitter, it was the taste of defeat. She couldn't even look the prince in the eye. "I failed you," was all she said.

Ganondorf's reply was equally as simple. "I will avenge you."

*

"The clown?" The Maid of Blades had an accent that was clipped, but clear. "I fight the fool?"

Link arched an eyebrow, watching her as they stood in the centre of the circular arena. _That's it, love. You keep on underestimating me like the little dear that you are._

"Listen," he said. "I'm not really into violence against women. Truth be told, violence against women falls solidly into second place behind violence against Link in my all time pet peeves. So. Why don't you just throw in the tea-towel right now and we'll not speak of this again, yes?"

"Prattle, tattle," the Maid cooed. The silver platter still balanced serenely on her palm. "What can I do for that tongue of yours, hmm?"

"Round One!" the Ringmaster called. The silk scarf took flight. "Fight!"

A hush fell over the crowd. The Maid held the oval platter up in front of half her face like a fan. Her long lashes blinked once, twice.

Link drew on the soothing touch of the Presence. "Look," he said. "I really, really, really don't want to fight you." He held up his palms. "No weapons, see? Now. Let's not do anything rash. I'm guessing that you've been roped into this. Kidnapped at a young age, no? Forced into slavery, right? You don't look like a warrior at all. There's no way we could have anything resembling a fight. There's nothing a dainty little love like you could do to harm me."

One by one, curved blades slid out from all around the circumference of the platter. The Maid's innocuous tray now resembled an evil looking circular saw.

Link's eyes widened. "Oh, bugger."

Two things happened at once: One, Link felt the Presence drop slightly, and two, Link saw the spinning platter buzz through the air, tearing a line for his face. With a shocked yell, the Hero ducked and rolled, the saw slicing harmlessly over his head, then he sprang back up, sword at the ready.

The crowd were roaring now. Sparks spat as the platter struck a wall, then curved its way back towards Link. He ducked again, and the bladed platter turned and went for his legs. Her leapt into the air, pirouetting. The Maid of Blades stood in serene silence, her eyes tracking her weapon. Link landed and ran.

_Let myself go. Just flow._

Focused, the Presence flooding all his senses once again, the Hero ran towards one rocky wall. He felt the air ripple behind him, heard the buzzing thunder in his ears, felt the razor-sharp blades gain on him closer and closer and –

Link launched himself up, pushed himself off the wall with one boot, and somersaulted over and _behind_ the flying platter. The blades struck the rock, flew backwards and honed in on Link. He ducked the first slice, twirled on his heel, then deflected the next attack with his sword. Sparks exploded; crimson shadows danced in his eyes, then spun away, sizzling. The assembled Gorons were screaming now, the cavern rocking with their momentum. The briefest of glances told Link of Zelda's shocked expression. He gave her a wink.

The murderous platter buzzed angrily as it probed and weaved, trying to find a way through. Serene, eyes half-closed, Link deflected each strike with graceful ease, his coat flapping in the wash of churned air. The spinning bladed platter flipped over, drove in for the Hero's face – and snapped as Link's sword sliced it in two.

Another blanket of silence smothered the awestruck crowd. Link stood, eyes dark, blade in hand. Wisps of smoke drifted slowly before his face. The Maid hissed. She held up both arms. Two grey blobs flew from her flapping sleeves. They morphed into the shape of another two razor-edged silver platters that curved in a downward arc, screaming as they targeted the Hero of Time.

_One trick pony ,eh? _Link's eyes quickly took measure of the situation. He grinned. _Assassin skills, don't fail me now!_

Link ran, arms outstretched, straight towards the flying blades. The Gorons flew to their feet, amazed. Somewhere inside, the Hero was dimly aware that Zelda was screaming his name. Still he ran. Eyes narrowed, Link saw the spinning razor-edged platters as twin blurs, growing larger and larger until they were almost on top of –

And at the very last moment Link arced his back and slid _under_ their flight path. His sword arm swung and the platters shattered in a fiery cloud of metal and sparks. Link sprung upright with a hearty "Tally-hoooo!" and found himself facing the Maid's shocked visage.

"You know all that talk about violence to women?" he said. "I think I'll make an exception."

The Maid's eyes widened as Link drew back his sword arm. Her jaw dropped, he stepped on the hem of her gown; she stumbled back and, a moment later, the Maid of Blades tumbled awkwardly to the ground.

Link stood over her. "Or not, as the case may be."

The Ringmaster's fist shot upward as the crowd erupted into cheers. "Winner of the first round – Llllllink!"

The Hero wheeled away, satisfied – and just as he did so, he caught a glimpse of Ganondorf's face. The prince's fierce eyes were pinned on Iron Tiger Nine, and the Goron reciprocated the stare in kind. Once or twice, Ganondorf glanced at Midna – now being nursed by Zelda – then back at Tiger. Link felt his resolve plummet.

_This isn't about me, is it?_ he thought. _Well. It is. In the context of having the courage to make the right choice it is. _His eyes flicked to the cavern's entrance, and he remembered what waited him there. His heart surged. _Home. Let's go home._

A silk scarf dropped. "Round Two! Fight!"

Link made some quick calculations in his head. He nodded, then stepped up to the Blade's Maid.

"Slap me," he said.

The Maid blinked. "What?"

"Slap me silly, love."

She did so.

Link hit the ground.

The Goron crowd, which at that moment had been whipping itself into a frenzy, now rose slowly to its feet in stunned silence. Even the Ringmaster hesitated. "Ah…" He cleared his throat. "Winner of the second round – and tying this match at one round apiece – the Maid of Blades!" He flicked a scarf away. "Round Three! Fight!"

Link crawled around at the Maid's feet. "Oh, you got me good, love," he groaned. "It was as bad a blow as seeing Tingle floating over the streets of Castle Town, hanging onto a balloon while he wore nothing _but_ a balloon."

She kicked him in the face. Link rolled over onto his back.

Now the crowd did get restless. A cascade of jeers reverberated through the air. Some of the Gorons began to throw rocks. The Ringmaster, his obsidian eyes blank, stared and stared and stared before he finally held up both fists.

"The winner of this match at two rounds to one…the _Maaaaaaaid of Blaaaaaades!_" The crowd responded with a mixture of cheers and boos. "_However_,_" _the Ringmaster continued after a quick glance at the notes he'd scribbled onto a scroll, "The winner of the semi-final at fifty-four points to thirteen is…_Iron Tiger Niiiiiiiiiiiine_!" This time the crowd was pleased.

The Maid, crimson lips sagging, spat, then stalked off, the hem of her gown trailing over the uneven ground. Zelda watched as Link sauntered towards her. "You threw that match!" she hissed. A veritable gamut of emotions had churned through her as she'd watched both fights. Now she felt drained, physically and mentally. Zelda cradled Midna's head in her lap and after pressing the princess' face with a damp rag, she looked up at Link again. "Why?"

"Oh, you know how it is," he said. "Just didn't fancy it anymore. Much more fun being a spectator." His voice dropped so that only Zelda could hear. "Besides, every hero needs an arch-enemy, no?"

Ganondorf glanced over at him. "Shame you didn't have the stamina," he said. "I guess she just waited until you'd tired yourself out. But no matter." His eyes flew back to Tiger. "Now vengeance will be mine."

Link folded his arms. "You do that, mate. Get it out of your system."

A large clap made everyone in the cavern look up. The Ringmaster gazed back, eyes imperious. "I think that's enough sport for one day, don't you?" he said, his voice ringing in the air. "Tomorrow we shall return for the Grand Finale. 'Till then, I formally invite our esteemed guests to dine with us this evening. Agreed?"

"My friends and I shall be happy to accept your request," Ganondorf replied.

The Ringmaster grinned. "Excellent!" He clapped again and turned away. The crowd made to depart, heavy limbs shuffling, a murmur of conversation filling the air. The Ringmaster paused, and then turned. "Oh, and one last thing." The four adventurers all looked up as one, all of them catching the meaningful tone in the Goron's voice. "The final tomorrow – well, how remiss of me, I forgot to say." His coal-black eyes glittered as a smile stretched over his face. "The final will be a single round of mortal combat - a fight to the _death._"


	13. Finish Him

**13. Finish Him**

All she'd ever wanted was a fairy. Was that really so much to ask for? And now here she was, on the eve of a battle that could possibly leave one of her newfound friends dead, marvelling yet again at her circumstances. No wonder she'd felt such foreboding on the trip here. It was obvious now. Right?

Zelda sighed. She sat in the Ringmaster's dining chamber – in truth, nothing more than a small circular cave carved deep into Death Mountain – feasting on what the Goron had said was prime roast Kakariko cucco and sitting cross-legged with her three fellow adventurers, the Goron fight master and the two warriors known as Iron Tiger Nine and the Maid of Blades. Candles burned in hollowed out sconces in the walls. Goron servants scuttled in and out of the cave, heads bowed.

Zelda's gaze trailed across the room. She saw Link currently in some sort of animated discussion with the Ringmaster. Watching her friend made Zelda's heart lurch once more. Home, he'd said. He'd found a way home. He hadn't taken it yet, though, but surely it was just a matter of time now, right? Dark trepidation stained her thoughts once again – but why should it, though? He was clearly miserable in this world, pining after his queen. Zelda should be happy that Link would be free, at last. Yes, happy. It was what Deku would have told her, what with his words about small packages and being held captive to one's thoughts. She should be happy, but she wasn't.

Her eyes found the royal couple. Ganondorf and Midna whispered to each other, their heads huddled close. The princess had a sword now, a gift from the Ringmaster for the 'entertainment' she'd given in her bout with Iron Tiger Nine. She'd refused it at first, and eventually took it only because the prince had insisted. Zelda found their concern for each other oddly touching. They hardly knew each other, but there clearly was a fragile bond holding them together. _Like a spider's thread…_

The Maid of Blades and the Goron champion made up the rest of their dinner party. They both seemed lost in their own private worlds, though they were clearly enjoying the food. Iron Tiger Nine, in particular, wolfed down massive portions, bones crunching and spittle flying from his mouth. Zelda tried hard not to stare.

Oh, and Sparrow had been allowed in, too. Zelda glanced at the young man sitting next to her and her heart twisted with pity. He looked completely lost, his harried expression housing darting, nervous eyes. She couldn't really blame him, though. They were all in some very odd company.

With a pang, she wondered what Saria was doing right now. _Maybe playing my ocarina, _she thought. _Or maybe she's just moved on._ A dark thought soured her heart. _They must think I'm dead. If they even think about me at all, that is. They haven't heard from me in…well, ages. I can't remember how long. Time seems to have lost its meaning for me. _

The morbid thoughts pushed Zelda to seek out some company. She looked at Sparrow again. "It's cold, isn't it?" she said.

The guardsman jumped. "What?"

"Here," she replied. "In the mountain. Cold."

Sparrow looked at her with unfocused eyes and Zelda began to regret saying anything at all. She wanted to start some conversation, get the poor boy to relax a little. Instead, he seemed more befuddled than ever.

He blinked, as though noticing her for the first time. His mouth worked soundlessly for a few moments, before he blurted out: "How old are you?"

"Seventeen," she said, blinking in return. "Why?"

Sparrow frowned. "You don't look it," he replied. "You're the same age as me, you know that?"

Zelda smiled. "You don't look it, either."

Sparrow snorted. "Oh, don't be so precious."

"Ha! You smiled!" Zelda grinned. "I knew you could!"

Bemused, Sparrow stared at her. "You were trying to make me smile?"

"Yeah," she said. "You seemed to need one. And, yeah, you don't look your age. You look older. Must be all that armour."

"Must be." Relaxing now, he reached for a cucco leg lying in a pool of grease on the large communal plate set before them. As he bit in, his voice dropped. "You know, I shouldn't be so on edge. I was trained for situations like this. But everything's so weird. Look at that woman there. I mean, look at her! The food is floating to her mouth!"

Zelda looked. It was the Maid of Blades and, like Sparrow said, she sat there all serene and detached as roasted cucco swam through the air towards her. She took small, precise bites, as though everything she did had to be measured and particular.

The young man shook his head. "I just feel like I'm completely out of my depth."

Zelda could only shrug. "You and me both."

The Maid caught Zelda staring and raised an eyebrow. "Um," the Kokiri said, feeling somewhat compelled into speaking. "How do you do that?"

The Maid daintily wiped at the corners of her mouth with an embroidered kerchief. "Discipline," she said in that odd accent of hers. "In my country we are taught to do so from a very young age. I am surprised you have nothing similar here. Clear the mind of – what is the word? Distractions? Yes, distractions – clear your mind of those and it becomes as sharp edged as any farmer's scythe or soldier's blade."

Zelda leaned forward, fascinated. "Your country? What country is that?"

"Labrynna," the Maid replied. "You will not have heard of it. Such is the paradox of our life. Warriors, all of us – like your Twili Princess there -but forgotten to the whole world despite it." Her forehead rippled, ever-so-slightly, as though whatever inner peace she held on to was unravelling like a worn thread. "This is why I entered this tournament. Why the Elders of my people demanded it. Had I won, then those of a martial mind would have known us and known us well." Her shoulders slumped. "And now I have failed."

Zelda felt sure that Link probably would have had something snarky to say about that, but all she could muster was an "Oh," and a sympathetic smile.

A sudden booming clap made them all look up. Candlelight flickered from the sudden draft. It was Iron Tiger Nine, a self-satisfied smile hanging from his wide face. "I tire of this," he said. "Let us cut to the chase, shall we?" He glanced first at the prince, then at Midna. "Kid, give me the wench. My needs this night require a thorough quenching."

Ganondorf's face darkened. "She is no wench," he said, eyes flashing. "And she's going nowhere."

The Ringmaster cleared his throat with noisy exaggeration. "This is my feast and you are all here at my invitation." He threw meaningful glances at both the prince and the champion. "There will be no fighting. You will both be civil."

Heaving mounds of fat wobbled as Tiger began to laugh. "Keep out of this, old friend," he spat. Leaning forward, he held the prince with a cold stare. "How about we up the stakes a little?" he said. "How about we fight not just for the Spiritual Stone and our own survival…how about you put ownership of the wench on the line, too?"

Midna snarled. "How dare you! Both of you! I am the Princess of the Twili. I am not chattel to be bartered for and brawled over by children!"

But the prince wasn't listening. "For her honour, then" he said, voice laced with menace. His fists shook. "I will end you because of your insolence."

Zelda, frozen with awe, managed to catch Link's expression from the edge of her vision. He winked, apparently unconcerned, then mouthed the word, 'domestic' to her.

Iron Tiger Nine was grinning. "It's done, then," he said. "Though, if I do kill you, there won't actually be anyone to stop me taking her anyway."

Midna's face was like thunder. "There will," she said. "I'll stop you."

Tiger gave her the laziest of glances. "Like you did last time?"

The Ringmaster clapped for attention. The candles fluttered again, the shadows dancing in response. "Stop this. Entertainment is my trade, but not here, not-"

"This your man?" Tiger said, cutting in as he waved in Sparrow's direction. The young soldier jumped, ever-so-slightly, his eyes wide. Zelda felt her heart twist yet again.

The prince frowned. "Yes. Why do you-?"

Tiger suddenly flung himself forward. He snatched Sparrow's own sword from the young man's belt, and thrust. Metal popped, and a sharp crunch followed. Sparrow looked down, saw the sword now protruding from his chest. His shuddering gaze rose to meet Tiger's. "Why?"

No reply came. Sparrow's eyes rolled backwards and he slumped to the ground.

They all shot to their feet – Zelda, horrified, hot tears stinging her eyes as her trembling fingers sought her short sword; the Maid of Blades hissing, her bladed platters already floating at the ready; and the trio of Link, the prince and Midna, all with weapons drawn. The Goron servants shrank back, and the Ringmaster's face blazed in fuming silence.

Tiger had his fists up, eyes scanning as he settled into a battle stance. "Who's first? Come on. I dare you."

Link's coat billowed, face grim. He pointed his blade at the Goron's chest. "Try me, mate," he said, voice soft. "You don't know how lucky you are."

"Lucky?" Tiger spat. "How?"

The Hero's eyes darkened. "Lucky that I didn't get to the final."

"No!" Ganondorf cut in. "You're lucky, Goron, that I don't strike you dead right now!"

"_You will all stop this now!_" The Ringmaster, chest heaving, glared at everyone in turn. His voice became a tiny thread of venom. "You will all be escorted to your chambers. Now. You are not to interact until the fight tomorrow. Anyone in violation of this…" his black eyes sparkled "…well, let's just say that Goron justice is not pretty. Especially for outsiders." He turned away. "Leave me. You've spat on my hospitality. All of you. I will see you in the morning."

...

Zelda rubbed her gummy eyes as dawn brought them all back to Dodongo's Cavern. She tried hard to stifle a yawn – it definitely wasn't appropriate in the current circumstances – but it was a losing battle. Tossing and turning on the uncomfortable rock slab that had been given to her as a bed, Zelda had had precious little sleep. Images haunted her – Ganondorf killing the pig creature in Kakariko, Link staring trance-like at that portal and finally, horribly poor Sparrow lying dead, chest punctured.

_All that blood…_

She stood with Link and Midna and one end of the arena floor. The Maid of Blades joined them, fanning herself with one of her platters. Zelda tried to smile at her and, after a moment where the Maid's cold eyes sparkled, she found her gesture reciprocated.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The Ringmaster, perched on high yet again, smiled. "The Grand Finale!"

Prince Ganondorf and Iron Tiger Nine stared daggers at each other as the Gorons shuffled into their seats. They both seemed bewitched, as though the cavern with its boisterous crowd had faded away and all that remained was the two of them. The prince broke the spell. Turning to his friends, Ganondorf nodded, smiled and gave Midna a salute. The princess turned away, face unreadable.

From far above, the Ringmaster held up a hand for silence. "And, now," he said. "Our special guest attendant."

Link stepped between the two combatants. "Alright, boys," he said. "Let's keep this short, sharp and simple. No undignified biting or scratching. No using any potions, and no weapons except what you've brought with you. A nice, smooth contest will do us all nicely, are we agreed?" He turned to the prince who nodded in return, eyes fixed once again on his opponent. Link turned to the Goron. "And you?"

Iron Tiger Nine paid the Hero no heed. "First, little man," he said, addressing the prince. "I'll tear each and every bone from that pathetic streak of flesh you call a body. Then, I'll grind those bones to the finest particles of dust."

Link cleared his throat. "I _said, _'Are we agreed?'"

Still, the Goron ploughed on. "Next, I'll make a stew from your organs and sprinkle the dust of your bones over it as seasoning."

Link looked around. "Sorry, is he not listening to me or something?"

"Then I'll finish it off," Tiger went on, "with a sprig of winter parsley plucked from the very tip of Death Mountain itself. The wench can go get it for me."

"He's insane, isn't he?" Link said, his voice soft and low. "No, he's ridicunuts. That's right. I just made up a word to describe him." He turned to the Goron. "Oi! Nutter! I am talking to you!"

The Goron flicked him a disdainful glance. "Let us begin."

"Indeed!" It was the Ringmaster, a gold lined scarf in his hand. It fell from his fingers. "Fight!"

Link scampered out of the way. The crowd roared and the two combatants, battle stance at the ready began to stalk one another, fingers flexing. The prince threw the first shot, a crack to the Goron's jaw. Tiger rode the blow, twirling, then swung a fist of his own. Ganondorf ducked, his heavy cloak snapping out from behind him, then plunged his knuckles straight into the Goron's gut.

Ganondorf grinned in grim satisfaction as the punch hit home with a wet smack. It didn't last. Horrified, the prince watched as his fist sank deeper and deeper into the many layers of Iron Tiger Nine's flesh. The Goron bellowed with laughter and the biased crowd followed suit. "Trust me," said Tiger. "I won't even break a sweat. But I have to put on a show for my fans, don't I?"

Ganondorf pulled and pulled and yet his hand remained stuck. Tiger raised his two hands, then brought them crashing down onto the prince's shoulders once, and then once again. The shock of the first blow ran down Ganondorf's entire spine, making his body crumple, and the second brought him to his knees.

Gasping for breath, the prince pulled again, and this time threw his head forwards, cracking it into the Goron's knee. It was enough. Tiger threw back his head and howled. Ganondorf's hand slid free, and he rolled away, testing his now cold and numb fingers. He looked up, drew his sword with his other hand, and went on the attack.

Zelda watched as the prince swung and the Goron ducked. He lunged, and again Tiger dodged, grinning. Frustration bit at Zelda's heart. _The monster's just toying with him. He could just crush him just as easily as he did Sparrow._

From the corner of her eye, she saw Link pull out his ocarina and look it at, a frown creasing his features. Zelda turned to him. "What is it?"

"I don't know," Link replied, his tone thoughtful. "It's like…the ocarina is anticipating something. But it's not quite time yet."

Midna hissed at them both. "This is no time to play tunes," she spat. "Look!"

They did. Sword dangling from his hand, the prince staggered back as Iron Tiger Nine pummelled him over and over. Angry welts and puffy bruises now marred Ganondorf's face. The crowd cheered every strike with noisy gusto. They sensed a swift end to the final. They sensed blood.

"Oh, don't worry," Link said, folding his arms. "I gave him a secret weapon."

Midna turned wide eyes upon the Hero. "You did what? Isn't that illegal?"

"No, not at all. Well. You're allowed the weapons you take in with you." He shrugged. "And the prince did exactly that."

"But how did you make him agree?"

"Oh, I just asked him…to humour me."

Zelda saw the prince stumble again. "What weapon? A mace? An axe?"

Link shook his head. "Nope."

Midna took up the thread. "Poisoned daggers? Shuriken? What?"

Link grinned. "A jar of marmalade."

As if on cue, the prince pulled the jar from his tunic and held it up. Iron Tiger Nine flinched, stepping back, then frowned. "What?"

Ganondorf took his chance. He smashed the jar straight into the Goron's face. Roaring, Tiger toppled onto his back – more from shock than pain – his face a bizarre marmalade and blood mask.

The crowd took to their feet, angry and amazed. The Ringmaster twirled theatrically, robes swirling, and then pointed at the Goron. "Finish him!"

Panting, the prince dragged himself over to his fallen foe. He raised his sword.

Tiger looked up. "I don't believe it," he said. "Me, the great Iron Tiger Nine, undefeated for so long, beaten by this kid? And by such a childlike trick?"

Ganondorf stared down with eyes dark with rage. "I promise you now, because of what you said about my beloved I will find any progeny you have and make lives a waking nightmare." His breathing levelled. "As for you. Your heart is sick. Let me relieve you of it."

A slow smile tugged at Tiger's lips – and then he thrust his hand deep into the sand. The prince blinked, surprised, then saw the Goron pull free the winding, skeletal tail of the dead Dodongo. The motion disturbed the sand, and Ganondorf lost his footing. He tumbled to the ground, sword flying free from his hand. When he looked up again, it was to see Iron Tiger Nine standing over him with saliva hanging from a humourless grin.

Link's hand snapped shut around the Ocarina of Time. "Move!" he cried, gesturing to both Zelda and the princess. "Both of you!"

Zelda followed Midna and the Hero into a sprint. Link threw himself in front of the prince. "Huddle!"

The princess dived, kicking up sand as she slid to Ganondorf's side. Zelda skidded to a halt, then crouched in behind the Hero of Time.

Confused cries rang around the arena. The Ringmaster roared with rage, flecks of spit flying from his mouth. Iron Tiger Nine stepped back, frowning. "What…?"

Link brought the ocarina to his lips, played the Song of Time – the world vanished in a sapphire hue, then fell instantly back into place.

Zelda found herself standing next to Midna and Link. Ganondorf, looking thoroughly confused, stood over the fallen Iron Tiger Nine and the Ringmaster pointed. "Finish him!"

_Back in time_, Zelda realised. _He's brought us a few moments back in time._

Grinning, she turned to look at Link –and saw him quietly saunter away to the entrance of the cavern. The smile fell from her face as fast her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. She looked back, saw that Ganondorf had shaken off his disorientation. Iron Tiger Nine went for his little trick again, but this time the prince was ready. He drove his sword into the Goron's wrist. Tiger shrieked, but Ganondorf didn't let up. His next blow pierced the champion's heart. He pulled his sword free, then thrust it in again. And again. And _again._

Zelda shuddered as each blow struck home. Bile rose in her throat. She turned back to the cavern entrance, but Link had already slipped into the tunnel. Her heart thudded. She ran.

"The winner of the match," the Ringmaster cried. "And the neeeeeeeew champion of the worrrrrld – the _Prince of Hyruuuuuuuuuuuuule!_"

Zelda didn't listen to his words, or to the angry roar that followed from the crowd. Gasping, she flung herself into the tunnel. Link looked up. He was already standing at the portal, his face bathed in a soft lavender glow.

Zelda's chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. "Not even a goodbye?"

The Hero's lips thinned into a flat line. He moved into the lilac light, the portal swallowing the left side of his body. "See ya."

Clutching the front of her tunic, Zelda stepped closer. "Link, wait." She swallowed, lost for words. _Wait for what, though? _

"I've done what Rauru asked," the Hero said. He was beginning to dissipate now, shifting between this Hyrule and his own. "There's no Link in this world for a reason, love. There's no need for one. This world has its hero now."

Zelda swallowed again, forcing moisture onto her dry tongue. Recent memories flashed in her mind. "You know," she said. "Maybe you weren't completely wrong about the prince. Maybe there are…issues…he still needs work on. Things you can help him with."

Link shook his head. "This was never my story. It was his. And, besides…" He smiled sadly. "…I miss her."

Zelda opened her mouth to speak – but never got the chance. A huge explosion tore through Dodongo's Cavern. Thick, hot debris roared into the tunnel, throwing Zelda against a wall. Sharp pain shot up her back, and her ears rang with screams. Coughing, she tried to wave away the thick dust that hung in the air, but there was too much. Her throat tightened, her nose twitched, and she coughed again, retching. The world swam in her eyes, fading in and out. Minutes passed as she sat there, shaking her head. Slowly she climbed to her feet.

At last, the haze began to clear. She blinked, tears blurring her irritated eyes. She blinked again. What she saw opened a hollow pit inside the very centre of her heart. The portal had gone.

And so had Link.

Zelda stood there, staring, a forlorn expression hanging from her face. She blinked yet again, suddenly realising that screams were still piercing the air. Zelda scrambled back into the cavern. A nightmare greeted her return.

"Oh no…"

Darknuts were everywhere, clanking and hissing as they slaughtered the Gorons en masse. Blood streaked the cavern's walls. The Ringmaster's crumpled corpse lay in the centre of the arena, now free to the elements. Zelda looked up, saw the huge hole blasted through the roof of the cave. Her foot struck something hard. She looked down, then staggered backward, shocked. The Maid of Blades severed heard stared up at her sightlessly.

Zelda glanced up again, and this time spotted the royal couple standing back-to-back, their blades waving. She ran towards them. None of the Darknuts, she noticed, were paying them any attention. She noticed, too, that the Spiritual Stone lay unwanted at the prince's feet, half-buried in the sand.

Ganondorf's face shone with relief when he spotted her. "You're alive!" he said. "But where is Link?"

Midna caught her up in a huge hug. Zelda pulled away, and addressed the prince. "Gone." She struggled to force the emotion from her voice. Before she could explain any further, a sudden howl of wind made them all look up towards the hole. A trio of tiny specks appeared in the clouds, carried by the breeze. They grew larger as they approached, revealing three figures. Two were cloaked and hooded, their bodies, faces and even their hands hidden. They flanked a central body who wore a billowing gown. Zelda had a sinking realisation that she knew who this was.

"It's the witch," she said, glancing at the prince. "The one I told you about."

Ganondorf's eyes were hard. "Impossible. The Captain should have dealt with them."

Crazy Tracy wore a beatific expression on her face as she and the two cloaked figures landed softly in front of the prince. She glanced at Zelda. "Hello, little," she said, then looked up at Ganondorf. "And the Prince of Hyrule, I presume? Oh, wait. The _former_ prince, I should say."

Ganondorf glowered. "How have you done this?" he spat. "Where is the Captain-of-the-Guards?"

The witch flicked at her sleeve. "How?" she said. "How?" She smiled. "It's all about the hired help, isn't it? Take these two sorcerers here." She gestured at the hooded figure to her left. "The Mute." And then the one on her right. "And the Mage. Without their aid, I could never have accomplished all this."

"You didn't answer my other question," Ganondorf growled. "Where is the Captain?"

The Mage raised his head. "Isn't she fascinating?" His voice was like the wind whistling through a forest on a winter's night. "The darkness that churns in her heart. It's so…intoxicating. I could spend the rest of my life studying it." He turned to regard the prince. "But, of course. Darkness dwells in many souls. Like yours, for example, Your Highness."

"What are you babbling about?" the prince said. "Who are you?"

The sorcerer slowly raised his hand to his hood, then threw it back with a quick flick. Ganondorf's eyes widened. Midna gasped, and Zelda could only stare.

_The Captain-of-the-Guards!_

The prince's shoulders sagged. When he spoke next, his voice seemed like it had crumbled. "But why, Captain?"

"Like I said," the Mage replied. "She's fascinating. And, besides – I grew to respect your family somewhat. But, you? Soft. Throwing it all away on this ridiculous quest? Well…I just decided that perhaps the ship of Hyrule needed a much stronger hand to keep it steady. Oh, don't look so sad. I kept you alive this far, didn't I? I wanted you to see all this."

"Captain, I-"

"Don't." The sorcerer held up a finger. "Don't call me by that insipid title. Call me by my name, Majesty."

Ganondorf's lip twitched. "And what would that be?"

A slow grin spread over the sorcerer's face. His skin began to glow, his robes billowing as the wind shrieked. His bulky frame shrank, leaving a slender body in its place. When all was done, he stood there, eyes now scarlet, skin touched with a blue-grey tinge.

"Vaati," he said. "You may call me Vaati."


	14. A Legend Reborn

**14. A Legend Reborn**

Silence fell in Dodongo's Cavern. The Darknuts had stopped their assault and now stood to attention. And why not? All the Gorons in the cave were now dead, leaving only a thick carpet of severed limbs and broken corpses. Some of them still trembled with the last vestiges of life.

Prince Ganondorf still gripped tightly onto his sword. "Vaati?" he said softly. "It's not a name I'm familiar with. It's certainly not the one you presented yourself with when you came into my employ."

A slow smile spread across the sorcerer's face. "Never heard of Vaati, the Wind Mage? No? Shame." Amusement danced in his voice. "You should be familiar with it. After all, we've met before. In another world, that is."

The prince frowned. "What?"

"Enough of this," said the witch. "Excuse us for our rather dramatic entry, but I do so love to make an impression." Her purple eyes twinkled. "The return to – ah - _my_ castle shall be a lot swifter by far." She turned to the Mute. "If you would…?"

Zelda and her friends froze as the other sorcerer reached into his belt. Her grip tightened around the pommel of her short sword. She hadn't used it as yet, but she had a feeling that she was going to have to soon. It was a prospect she faced with a tremor of unease.

The Mute pulled free a small capsule, held it over his head, then flung it into the ground. A bone-white flash engulfed them all, and when the world came back into focus, Zelda saw that they now stood high on the battlements encircling Castle Town. And that they were now alone.

"Ha!" the prince shook a fist as he gazed down into the town square. There, looking quite confused, stood the witch, her two cohorts and the troop of Darknuts she'd taken with her to Death Mountain. "So much for their power. This is our chance. Let's take it."

Midna shook her head violently, trying to clear the cobwebs of disorientation stuck to her mind. "How-? What-?" She shook her head again. "What is going on around here? How can we be one place one second and another the next? And _what _in the world happened at the end of the prince's fight?"

Ganondorf reached out a hand. "I don't-"

Zelda pointed. "Look!"

Vaati had his arms raised over his head, his lips muttering. Flecks of light sparked from his fingers. High above in the sky, dark clouds began to billow and churn, and a sudden gust of wind moaned against the stone ramparts. Veins of forked lightning flashed against the sky. A slanted curtain of heavy rain burst out from the clouds and splattered into Castle Town.

Disdainful expression set on his face, Ganondorf held up a palm, letting the downpour run through his fingers. "A little water won't stop us," he said. His eyes searched the area. "We're very close. Let's go."

Midna glanced down at the water now gushing at her feet, then up at the path set between the parallel lines of stumpy merlons and open crenels. "I think it's designed to slow our progress." She blinked rain out of her eyes. "To make the way slippery."

At this, the prince only smiled. "Then the quicker we make it to dry land, the better."

Thunder suddenly rolled into the deepest well of their minds. Midna clutched the sides of her head. "Argh! That voice!"

_**That's right, **_said Vaati. _**I may not be able to see you, but I can make you hear me. So. Run. But where will you run to? I'll find you, wherever you go. Oh, and Your Highness? You wouldn't believe just how much I've manipulated your life. I'll tell you all about it…just before I kill you all.**_

Zelda swallowed, trying to shake off the tight knot of disquiet that the voice had just dumped in her soul. She wondered, though, who exactly was in charge here – the witch or this sorcerer, Vaati? Bizarrely, Zelda felt slightly sorry for Crazy Tracy.

She looked at the prince. "You said we were close," she sniffed. "Close to what?"

Ganondorf snapped his fingers, beckoning, then broke into a run. Zelda and the princess looked at each other, shrugged, then followed swiftly, spray flying from their heels. The little Kokiri looked up, catching a glimpse of the town every time they swept past the crenatures. Darknuts were everywhere, outside the homely houses and wooden shops, silent as statues. In the centre of the square, tall and defiant, stood the massive, monster Darknut that she'd seen back in Lon Lon Hill. Water spilled from the huge spinning cogs that connected its every joint and steam drifted from smokestacks set into each shoulder. Its massive eyes glowed with molten coals of fire.

"Look, up there," said Midna. "On the big one's head."

The prince looked. "Antennae," he replied. "Ingenious. I had my engineers try and design something similar. An oil and steam contraption that can flood the air with…well, with signals, of a sort. It must mean that the large one is in control." Satisfaction shone in his voice. "Take that one down, and we'll take all the Darknuts down."

The princess shook her head. "Take it down how, though?"

"Leave that to me, beloved."

Zelda swung her gaze back to the town. Ganondorf's soldiers, expressions glum, knelt with hands crossed behind their heads while the Darknuts stood guard. Here and there, she spied the frightened faces of the townsfolk. Some of them glanced up, noticing their flight, and she heard a soft mutter of voices through the relentless drumming of the rain. Voices that suddenly had an edge of hope to them.

Ganondorf noticed them, too. "My poor people," he murmured. "I will free you. I swear it." He turned to Zelda. "So. Link is not coming back, then? I always thought he had something of the coward about him."

Zelda felt a fierce heat fly through her veins. "He's not a coward!" she spat, surprising herself by the burning strength of her own emotion. "And, no, he's not coming back."

"Where has he gone, then?"

"Home," Zelda replied, her voice hollow. "His home. A different land."

"So swiftly?"

"He has his ways." Zelda swallowed. "Where he came from, he was a legend. And that's what he wanted for you, too. To become a legend."

"How touching. He never mentioned any of this before." Ganondorf's eyes glittered. "And a legend I _shall_ be," he said. "A legend reborn."

He stopped short in front of a wooden hatch set into the ground. "What fortuitous luck," he said. Pulling a long key from his belt, the prince unlocked the trapdoor and swung it open. Zelda's nose wrinkled at the musty smell that rose from the opening. She peered in, saw a rickety ladder set against the wall inside, but before she could think any further on it, the sun suddenly disappeared and a huge shadow dropped over them.

They looked up, gaping, as the giant hand of the monster Darknut reached down for them. A cacophony of grinding gears and chugging steam drowned out any other noise. A wave of scorching heat radiated from the large copper boiler set into the gargantuan torso. Hissing, the prince pushed first the princess, then Zelda towards the hole. "In!" He ducked as grasping metal fingers went for his head and, after a moment to see that his two friends had indeed slipped inside, the prince dived for the opening and slid down, down, down the long ladder.

Landing softly, Ganondorf looked up, but his eyes met only a torrent of rain. With a swish of his cloak, he turned away. Darkness met them all. A cool draft kissed their faces. Nothing could be heard, except for their own breathing.

"What now?" said Midna.

"My Elite Guard!" Ganondorf called, his voice echoing in the enshrouding gloom. Arms outstretched, he raised his palms. "Awaken! Your prince demands it!"

Zelda gasped as, one-by-one, torchlight flickered magically to life revealing row upon row of soldiers clad in either winged jade armour or sitting in squat metal shells set atop spindly legs. Names flitted back from Zelda's memories. _Dragonwings. Tarantulas._

Midna blinked. "Elite Guard…?"

The prince smiled. "You didn't think I'd trust everything to the Captain, did you? I had to have some secrets. He thinks I only have a handful of such troops, whereas, in fact, I have thousands!""

"They, what, live here, or something?" said Zelda. "All the time?"

"They were willing to make the sacrifice for their leigelord," Ganondorf said quietly. "I forgot to ask. Like my beloved said: what _did _happen back in Dodongo's Cavern? How was it that the very last moment of my battle managed to repeat itself? Was it Link?"

"Like I said," Zelda whispered. "Legend."

The prince stiffened. "I could have beaten the Goron without anyone's help."

Zelda's thoughts soured. _Right. Sure you could._

The Dragonwings stirred. The nest of Tarantulas awakened. A thousand wings fluttered with a sonorous buzz. Steam powered engines whirred into life, cockpits juddering in response. Boulders rolled into the catapults stretching from each Tarantula's back and the Dragonwing soldiers pulled modified crossbows from their belts, activating them with a click and a whine of motors.

"Dragonwings," the prince barked. "I want a contingent of you to take down the colossus Darknut. You'll know it when you see it. Tarantulas, you and the rest of the 'Wings are to bring me back my castle."

Thousands of armoured fists clanged against polished steel plates in one, singular motion. "_ALL HAIL THE PRINCE!"_

Ganondorf ran over to a rusted moss-covered lever set into one wall. Grinning, his gloved fist pulled it down with a lurch. Deep groans rang out in the chamber. The room shook. Something large went _ping. _A handful of masonry tumbled to the ground in a clatter, then, with a creak, a thread of light split open from above. Zelda looked up and saw the battlements slowly parting. More masonry fell, this time mixed with wet lichen and rain. Like a flower opening after the kiss of the sun, the ramparts fell away and the Dragonwings buzzed angrily into the sky. The Tarantulas followed, swarming out into the open, scuttling legs a-clatter.

As the outside world met her eyes once again, Zelda saw some of the imprisoned soldiers take their chance in the confusion. They broke free and attacked the largest group of Darknuts with nothing except their bare fists. Ganondorf followed them with his eyes, pondering, then leapt into an unmanned Tarantula. With a flick of a few switches, a huge rock thundered down the machine's metal arm and into the catapult.

Shock hit Zelda as she realised what was about to happen. "No!" she said. "You'll kill your men, too."

Even Midna took a worried step forward. "Beloved," she said, her tone placating, "Perhaps this is not the best course of action…?"

The prince glared back at them both. "And like I said," he whispered. "Sacrifice. These men are mine to do with as I please." He pulled down on one last lever. The Tarantula jolted with bone-jarring violence as it let fly its load. Zelda watched, muted and helpless, as the spinning boulder whistled through the sky, then ploughed into the mass of Darknuts and men. Even from her distant vantage point, she could hear the splintering of bone and the gurgled cries of pain.

_So much death. Destruction. So much loss. Loss, loss, loss…all I've had is loss._

It was too much. Zelda turned and fled, scuttling over the open battlements and into Castle Town proper. Her breath panted as fast as her speeding heart.

"Zelda!" the princess cried. "It's not safe!"

"Come back!" shouted the prince.

Zelda ignored them both. She didn't know where she would go, or what she would do, but all she knew was the she wanted everything to stop, stop, just stop.

It almost did. A Darknut reared up out of nowhere, blotting out the sun with its bulk, and reached back for its huge sword. Terror stole Zelda's soul. Her trembling hand pulled free her short sword before her mind could even register the action. Her stumpy blade clanged against the Darknut's metal shell. Shock vibrated down the entire length of her arm, setting her teeth on edge, and spinning her away out of danger.

The Darknut had no chance to follow through. Midna was upon it in an instant, knocking it off balance with her sword's first strike, and taking off its head with her second in a flurry of sparks. Steam billowed out from its now open neck as it toppled over to one side. Zelda didn't hang about. She ran again.

"Wait!" the princess called, an agonised knot in her voice. "Please!"

Arms pumping, Zelda looked up as she sprinted on. Dragonwings streaked through the sky, swooping in towards the giant monster Darknut, crossbows firing. The Darknut tried to swat them aside, but most managed to dodge and weave the monster's ponderous blows. Not all were so lucky, though.

She saw one with wings shredded plummeting to the ground, motors droning mournfully in a death-wail. Another took a glancing blow from the Darknut's finger and began to spiral out of control. Thick, black smoke poured from the Dragonwing's armour, leaving charcoal trails in the air, and it smashed into one of the houses, setting it instantly alight.

Metal crashed against metal, and steam driven engines and motors chugged, puffed and roared. Screams, yells and wails of pain added footnotes to the dark symphony. The air carried the stench of burnt oil. Acrid smoke turned the sky even darker. And still the rain fell, spitting and now sizzling.

In the distance Zelda saw the Tarantulas beginning to scale the walls of the castle with Darknuts fending them off with swinging blades. The Dragonwings there had arrows set alight with flame. _Pitch, _Zelda thought absently. _They must be doused in pitch._

The castle stood tall against a fiery orange sky filled with a flurry of burning arrows. Scarlet bruises glowed on the whitewashed walls and one of the towers had been split in two. Zelda wondered at the prince's strategy. _It's like he's trying to save the castle by destroying it!_

Zelda's ears pricked up. She frowned and came to a sudden halt next to one of the market shops. A faint sound nudged at her. It was like something...whistling. Her neck snapped upwards – just in time to see the huge boulder plunging through the sky. She threw herself to the ground and screamed as the shop exploded into a roaring cloud of splinters. The shockwave dragged her across the ground. Bent nails and broken planks cracked into her skull and ribs and tore at her tunic. Her throat tightened, the air choking. Finally she came to rest, flat on her back.

Loud noises throbbed in her ears. Her face felt wet, and she tasted blood from her lip. Head pounding, she slowly opened her eyes and looked down. Scratched and bleeding, her entire body was coated in a fine film of sawdust. She spat some out of her mouth and saw that it was tinged red. Sitting up, Zelda tested her wrists and wiggled her toes. Next, she bent her legs and stretched her arms. Everything ached, but thankfully, nothing seemed to be broken.

A flurry of movement caught her gaze. Her eyes tracked the witch and her two sorcerers running towards the castle. Adrenaline fuelled determination spiked in Zelda's heart. She stood and held up her sword hand. It trembled. Whatever pity she'd ever had for Crazy Tracy now dissolved like ash in an ocean.

_She started it. She's the key to ending it. _Zelda felt her entire body shaking. The pain became a distant throb. _Ganondorf doesn't have to be the hero of this world. It can be me. I can be the legend reborn. And I'll do it…by killing the witch._

Before her mind could formulate a response that might have swayed her, Zelda set off in pursuit. Tarantulas and Dragonwings kept the Darknuts busy, and so none of them seemed to pay her any attention. Just as well. She wouldn't have had a prayer against any of them.

She reached the last bit of open ground just before the trail to the castle. The townsfolk huddled here, fear their only company. Distracted, Zelda noticed the Zora activist she'd met at the market, his skin grey, his head sporting a deep, nasty gash. She slowed down –

And felt the breath fly from her lungs as a large, muscular arm snatched her up and pinned her tight. "Get off!" she cried, kicking at empty air and fists pounding. "Let me go! _Let! Me! GO!"_

"Steady down, girl." It was the prince, and the fact of that didn't ease Zelda's heart one jot. "Be calm."

Zelda let herself go limp as she fought to find her breath. "Look," she said, pointing at the fleeing form of the witch. "She's getting away. They all are."

Ganondorf set her gently down on the ground. He glanced at the townsfolk, noting that their eyes all funnelled in on him, faces hopeful. Then, he turned to Midna. "Beloved, I –"

"I know," the princess replied. "Take Zelda with you, but keep her safe. I will lead your people out."

The prince's chest swelled. "Truly, you are my one, true match."

Irritated, Zelda pulled at Ganondorf's sleeve. "If you're coming with me, then you'd better hurry. I'm not waiting." And with that, she was off again. It didn't take too long for her to hear the prince's boots behind her.

Carnage still reigned overhead. A new wave of Dragonwings had appeared, these ones carrying rapid-fire crossbows. The new weapons glowed hot, juddering as they spat speeding arrows that buzzed like fiery hornets. Pockmarked by boulder strikes, the giant Darknut still loomed overhead. Whenever a rock or a Dragonwing got too close to its antennae, a bolt of lightning would fly from the dark clouds and vaporize the aggressor completely. The Darknut's fist crushed a platoon of 'Wings, blood and bone seeping through its fingers.

Everything she saw just strengthened Zelda's resolve all that much more. Up ahead she saw the moat freeze under a sorcerer's touch. The witch and her party reached the base of the castle and, with jaw clenched, Zelda pushed her burning muscles as far as they could. Why they didn't just lower the drawbridge and walk in, Zelda didn't know.

"Wait," the prince gasped behind her. Zelda didn't really want to listen to him, but couldn't stop his words cutting through the roar of the battle. "Don't you see?" he continued. "They could have magicked their way into the castle. Easily. They want us to follow them. This is a trap!"

Zelda stopped short on the frozen moat. A panting Ganondorf drew up alongside her. The witch, Vaati and the Mute stared back at them from barely fifty paces away. The fabric of the castle wall began to warp, the white alabaster spiralling over and over until two dark entranceways appeared.

Crazy Tracy's purple eyes honed in on Zelda. "I've been busy while you've been away, little," she crowed. "Digging here, burrowing there – it's amazing the sort of gems you can find."

"I don't know what you mean." Zelda held up her sword. "But I'm going to…going to…" Tears blurred her eyes as her sword arm shook again. "You're going to die!"

"Oh, don't be so hasty, little," the witch said. "You don't know what I mean? Information, that's what I meant. Knowledge. Like, for example, finding out what – and who – was so very dear to you."

Tracy reached into one of the tunnels. Zelda's ever present sense of foreboding deepened. Rain ran down her face and the roar of the battle seemed to fade away.

"You see," said the witch. "No one escapes from me. It's the kind of thing I tend to take personally. And so, I've found something that's yours. Something oh-so-precious." Her lips split into a cold smile. "I'm going to let you watch while Vaati here slowly kills that very thing. And - so sorry - I can't stay around for the show."

The witch pulled her prize free from the tunnel. A flash of forest green followed. Zelda's heart froze, the blood pumping in her ears the single note that drowned out all others.

"Mido…" she gasped. "_Saria!_"

Saria stared back at her, wide eyes filled to the brim with fear and confusion. Mido slumped in the witch's grasp, head bowed.

With a cackle, the witch shoved the two Kokiri towards Vaati, then slipped into the tunnel, the Mute in tow. Vaati followed suit, but he took his prisoners and disappeared into the other tunnel.

Zelda held out her sword uselessly. Cold numbness radiated from the depths of her being as tears pricked her eyes once again. She felt the prince rest a hand on her shoulder and she shook it off. Eyes blazing, she glared up at him.

"Zelda," he said, his voice surprisingly soft. "I will rescue your friends and end this blight on our land. I will prove to you that I can be this legend you speak of."

Still, she wouldn't relent, her free hand folding into a trembling fist. Ganondorf pressed on. "Look," he said. "Vaati has left his path open. Let us not keep him waiting, eh?"

Zelda stared a few seconds longer, then let her shoulders sag in defeat. When she spoke her voice sounded tiny and pathetically weak in her own ears. "You'll save them?"

"I pulled Hyrule out of the mud and into a new age. Look around you, look at all the things I have had invented. I have given my people – you – everything." He took in a deep breath. Rain plastered his hair to his brow. "For you, I will get your friends back."

Zelda swallowed, and drew in her own lungful of air. "Then what are we waiting for? Lead on!"


	15. Archenemy

**15. Archenemy**

Midna hurried the townsfolk through the Western Gate of Castle Town as explosions continued to rock the sky. The ground shook under their feet, and a few of the slower folk stumbled and tripped. Thankfully, the town's Darknut conquerors were either too busy with Ganondorf's troops or too apathetic to care about their escape. Twili warriors wouldn't be so easily distracted. She vowed to have some stationed here as soon as this was all over.

_If we win, that is…_

She pushed the thoughts out of her mind. Her boots squelched in the mud, and she felt rain seep in between her toes. It didn't bother her that much. She wasn't the type of soft-bellied royalty that demanded comfort wherever she went. As the people pushed on, the princess couldn't help but glance at every face that passed her by – dirty, tired and worn-out, they still managed to carry the same shining sentiment.

"Thank you, mistress," a woman gasped.

"Bless you, princess," another said, patting her on one shoulder.

Midna had never considered herself to be the emotional sort, but now she found her throat oddly choked up.

_Is this what he feels when he helps his people? _ she pondered. _Is this what keeps him going?_

A child carrying a ragged doll slipped on the muddy earth. Swift as a hawk, the princess swooped in and caught the boy before he was trampled underfoot. She held him up, her eyes checking for injuries, and his gummy smile melted the frost on her heart. Handing him over to his grateful and now somewhat hysterical parents, Midna now found a flood of emotion bubbling deep within.

She flicked a glance over at the castle. _It's him. He's made me like this. How did this happen? This was just a game. Pick a consort, Mama and Papa said, pick a life mate, a husband. So I did. I chose him. He seemed the strong sort, and virtuous to a fault. And it could've been fun. But…if this is how he lives, then maybe there is more to life than just idle amusement. _She snorted, eliciting a few odd glances from the townsfolk. _Oh, listen to me now. Philosophy!_

And yet, there was that other side to him, the side she didn't understand. She still felt confident that she could bring it under her heel, but it just seemed so decidedly odd. How could he care so much on one hand, and be so blasé on the other? Hypocrisy…or something else?

_Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way. I don't have to tame him…maybe I just need to help him. He deserves that much at least, right?_

As the last of the townsfolk rattled over the substitute drawbridge, the princess found that her eyes wouldn't leave the castle. She felt a tingle at the very centre of her being, a sensation that something momentous was about to occur.

She glanced back at the people. "Wait," she said, then pointed at the castle. "Watch."

*

Tunnels. Zelda hated tunnels. Well, she did now, after all she'd been through. And this one more than most. Absolute blackness surrounded them – up, down, left, right, front and back. If it wasn't for the fact that she kept flicking at her hands, she would have assumed that her entire body had vanished, drowned in the darkness. She shivered at the thought. Shame she didn't have that glowing compass that the Know-it-all Brother had given her. But that had been lost back at Lon Lon Hill. All thanks to Crazy Tracy.

Zelda felt steel resolve flood her heart yet again. The witch had stolen Deku from her and now she'd stolen Saria, too. And Mido. As much bother as he'd ever caused her, Zelda didn't want him to suffer at Vaati's hands.

She heard Ganondorf's steady breathing behind her, punctuated by the occasional clang when his sword struck a wall by accident. With their eyes now useless, the two of them had only the tug of the cool draft to guide them. The battle outside seemed smothered now, a dull and distant roar. Sometimes a tremor would run through the castle as it took another hit and here, down below, they heard things squeak in panic, furry tails tickling their ankles. Zelda shivered again.

Something in the air shifted. Words floated towards their pricked ears. _Vaati._

"Come, come…follow me, follow the piper. Yes, indeed."

They couldn't place the source of his voice. It was coming from all directions. Zelda winced as her toe stubbed on something hard. She blinked, then realised what it was. _Stairs._ Tugging at Ganondorf's sleeve, they both began to ascend.

"Saria?" Zelda called. "Are you there?"

Her voice bounced back to her, magnified a thousandfold. Vaati laughed. "_Are you there?_" he mimicked. "Allow me tell you a little story, if you would. A tale about a race of people known as the Picori. Oh, don't worry, you won't have heard of them. You won't even have seen them. They weren't very big."

Ganondorf growled. "Imaginary friends of yours?"

The sorcerer cackled. "Some people call them the Minish. But I doubt that name will ring any bells, either. This is about one very special Picori. One that was enthralled, completely besotted by one utterly beautiful thing." He paused, as though reflecting, then: "Darkness. The wonderful, pure darkness staining men's hearts."

"Words of a madman," said the prince.

The stairs wound on. Zelda's brow creased. There was something a touch familiar about all this. An image flashed in her mind. She saw a young man, a shield on his back, a hat hiding his hair. She couldn't see his face. He climbed a staircase, too, a richly carpeted crimson one, with eerie organ music floating in the air. The image dissolved, and Zelda was none the wiser.

Vaati spoke again. "I won't bore you, worry not – but this little Picori found the means to become the greatest sorcerer of them all. Clever him. And he found something else, too. A portal, a way to traverse the many worlds with the name, Hyrule. Somehow, the sorcerer fell through it, lost. But he had a mirror, an immense mirror that allowed him to see every single world. And there, in that Hyrule he now found himself in, he discovered something that warmed his heart, something that plucked at his very soul. He found a desperate, desperate man, a man longing to lead his people free."

"You said you wouldn't bore us," said the prince, his voice ringing. "You failed."

Laughter echoed in the darkness. "You don't remember, do you?"

A muscle in Zelda's chest twisted. She had a sickening idea about where Vaati's tale was going. "Don't listen," she whispered. "Don't listen to him."

Ganondorf shuffled behind her. "I –"

Abruptly Zelda heard the prince's voice breathing change, slow and steady to shallow and fast. She paused, her eyes searching the spot where her mind guessed he would be. "What is it?" she said. "What's wrong?"

Distress trembled in Ganondorf's words. "I can see…things. In my head. Images. I can see myself dressed in strange clothes, at the head of a crowd of strange people. We…we're coming to a town. I'm smiling…I feel hopeful. So hopeful." A sudden wail knifed through the prince's voice. "And…oh…please help us…why won't they help? Why do they hate us?"

Zelda felt a cold weight fall on her heart. _He's losing it. Oh, no…_

Vaati's voice returned. "They hated you because I riled them up against you. Told them stories, about how you torture your children, steal from your neighbours, beat your womenfolk. And, you know what? They believed me! That's what I so love about the darkness. People are so, so quick to believe the worst of others. It makes them feel oh-so-smug. Build yourself up by putting other people down. So utterly delightful."

Zelda reached out a hand, but it didn't find the prince. "Your Highness…?"

"I can see…other things," Ganondorf said, his voice strained. "I can see…Link…and you, Zelda and…" Bitter poison suddenly flooded his words. "And…I _hate_ you. Hate you both so much. And…"

His voice trailed off. Zelda stood there, throat tight and heart pumping. She swallowed as a chill film of sweat sprung up all over her skin. A cold hand fell on her shoulder and she jumped with a yelp.

"Don't worry." The prince's voice was hoarse. "I won't listen to him. I…you believe in me, don't you?" His pleading tone was raw and open. "I need someone to believe in me!"

Zelda swallowed again. "I-" she stammered. "I do. You'll do what's right. I know you will."

She heard his breathing relax. They continued their climb up the stairs, but this time Zelda kept her body at an angle to the prince's. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword.

_If he does snap, then there's nothing you can do, anyway. _Another thought followed quickly, rock solid in its certainty. _You're going to die here._

The sorcerer wasn't done yet. "It was me who found you broken and distraught, me who was once one of the Picori. Me, who tempted you with the knowledge of the mirror, so that you could see your ultimate fate in world after world – your ever-recurring defeat. Me, who set everything in motion just so I could see the portrait your very unique darkness would paint."

Zelda and the prince reached the landing. Holding out a hand, Ganondorf felt his fingers brush against a wooden door. He pushed it open.

Vaati stood on one of the castle's battlements, rain running tracks down his face. In the distance, the giant Darknut towered over the horizon, still battling away with the last ragged legions of Ganondorf's troops. Dragonwings and Taruntulas lay crushed at its feet.

Vaati gestured in that direction. "You like it?" he said. "Tracy calls it her Iron Knuckle. Such a way with words, don't you think?"

The other Darknuts fought on, too, though there were a few that turned, watching, as the prince and the little Kokiri approached the sorcerer. They weren't the only ones. Even further in the distance, just outside the Town's walls, Zelda could see the townsfolk staring. The wind picked up their faint voices, and she caught the murmur of expectation that they held.

_They know it's the prince up here, even from so far away. Midna must be there, too. Why don't they run? They should go!_

Zelda scanned the pathway in front of her. Huddled together, Saria and Mido watched from behind the sorcerer. Zelda tried to smile at them, and Saria managed a weak smile in response.

A sword slid from Vaati's belt. "You surprised me," he said. "I thought the knowledge would drive you mad – and, well, I was right about that. But you did something. Found some sort of magic. Changed the world. If it wasn't for my superior power, I would have been changed with it."

"Poe possessed," said Ganondorf. "You must be. You speak in tongues. Pure babble."

Vaati didn't seem to hear him. "And you know what was worse?" he said. "Instead of twisting the world to your sick, wonderful whims, you decided you wanted to _help. _You decided you wanted to be a _hero._" Snarling, the sorcerer spat. "Well, I don't believe it! It's still there, inside of you, I know it is." His voice softened and he smiled. "It just needs a little…push."

Ganondorf held up his blade. "Devil," he said. "You talk too much."

The corner of Vaati's mouth curled upward. "No magic. Just swords." Raindrops sang against the polished steel. "_En garde_."

A jagged fork of lightning, silent as a corpse, touched the murky sky, blinding all eyes momentarily with a flash. Zelda watched at the two fighters began to encircle each other, eyes burning. A memory of Link, and something he'd said, prodded her thoughts: _Every hero needs an archenemy._

_This is it,_ Zelda realised with a shock. _This Vaati is the prince's archenemy, not Iron Tiger Nine. _Her eyes flicked over to the townsfolk. _And with his people watching…this is his chance to be the hero! Oh, please, let him win. Please!_

There was a swish of steel, a flash of reflected light, then, after a neat slit had been cut through the slanted curtain of rain, the sorcerer found his throat bobbing up and down over the cold metal point of a sword. Drops of water cut skewed paths across the flat edge of the blade.

Vaati's lips crept into a slow smile. "Oh," he whispered. "And what will you do with me? What manner of death does your soul sing for you to gift?" The smile became a grin. "No, not sing. It's pleading. Begging. Isn't it? You're dying to tear me apart. Dying. Show your true self."

Ganondorf blinked, his brow furrowed as he hesitated. Vaati took quick advantage, shoving the prince away from him. The sorcerer sniffed. "Well?"

Steely determination stiffened the prince's face. "Slowly," he said, and just as Vaati was about to smile again, he added, "And honourably."

The sorcerer snorted. "Fat chance, Your Highness."

Their blades crossed, once, twice, then slid apart. There was no noise, except for the rain and the hollow sound of steel kissing steel. Vaati feinted to the left, grinned, then lunged for the right. The prince parried the blow, then sprang forward into a thrust that the sorcerer deftly blocked. Ganondorf stepped back.

Vaati wiped rain from his lips with a fluttering sleeve. "Very elegant," he said. "But you're not showing me what you can really do. Where's the savagery? Where's the bloodlust? Butcher of the Bay, they used to call you."

The prince snarled. "I don't know what you're talking about. You have a sickness of the mind. I pity you."

"And I find you…_amusing_."

Swords clattered as Ganondorf pounced again, pushing, his sword arm thrusting. Raindrops flew from the grim expression hanging from his face. He fought like a man possessed, like a man –

_With a point to prove. _Zelda looked past the two fighters and found Saria again. Impatience itched at her heart. _But I don't have time for this. I wanted to end the witch…but I can end the sorcerer instead. Who says heroes can't have help?_

Zelda hefted the short-sword into her hand. Her eyes funnelled in on Vaati. The sorcerer looked completely absorbed, grunting as he swept aside each and every one of the prince's strikes.

_He won't even see me coming._

She tightened her grip. Her palm reddened in response. _Kill…just have to kill. _Doubts began to dig away at her resolve. There was going to be blood, that was for certain. And screams. And…and…

Her eyes caught Saria's once again. _I can't do this…I can't…I…_ She took in a deep breath. _Calm like Lake Hylia, calm like Lake Hylia, calm like-_

Vaati spun away from another swing, leaving himself completely exposed. Zelda screamed and flung herself forward, sword-arm extended. Metal clanged, a blade dropping down to cut off her attack. Zelda looked up. The prince looked down.

"No," he said. "This is my fight."

Before Zelda could even reply, the sorcerer ploughed into Ganondorf, knocking the air from his lungs. Angry eyes snapped up and pinned Vaati with a venomous stare. A yell born from pure rage left the prince's lips. He flew forward, ramming into the sorcerer in a spray of rain. Before Vaati had even a chance to respond, Ganondorf cracked a fist against his skull, snapping his head to the side. A second blow had the sorcerer reeling and the third sent him down.

Chest heaving, Ganondorf stood over his foe, then planted a foot upon Vaati's chest. Lightning flashed.

*

Midna let out a tight breath as the townfolk cheered. Tension tingled down her arms, sloughing off of her in sweet release. She looked around, saw her own relief mirrored in myriad faces, then took in all the voices.

"He did it!" a townsman cried. "A warrior as well as a prince!"

Tears glistened in an old man's eyes. "This is what Hyrule needed," he said. "A hero."

A young woman, grinning, glanced in her direction. "Choose him, princess!" she crowed. "Or else let us poor maidens have a chance!"

Satisfied, the princess turned away. Now she was ready to lead the people out into Hyrule Field. There was nothing more to be said.

_And, besides,_ she thought, flicking a glance back at the castle as a tremor overtook her heart. _I don't want to see what he's going to do next. And I don't want them to see it, either._

"People of Castle Town!" she called. Her eyes scanned the happy faces. "The battle is not yet won! We will return, I swear it, but for now, let me take you to safety!"

Fists punched the air as the crowd cheered again. Midna took the lead, her heart hollow.

*

"Saria!" Zelda felt like her chest was going to burst as she engulfed her squealing friend in an almighty hug. "Are you alright?" Eyes wide, she ruffled the other girl's hair. "Were you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Zelda, fine!" Saria grinned back at her. "But look at you –fighting alongside the prince! I told you – what an honour!"

Mido stood slightly apart, sour visage clear. "I thought you might have had something to do with all this."

Zelda looked at him for a heartbeat, then peeled herself off of Saria and threw a hug around the small engineer as well.

"Hey! HEY!" he said, eyes wide. "Get off!"

Zelda let him go with a smile. "I'm glad you're alright, too, Mido."

Her gaze wandered back to the prince. Still he stood over the sorcerer, silent as a statue. He raised his blade. Zelda felt Saria's hand squeeze hers. She squeezed back. Her heart skipped. Vaati was grinning.

"Go on," he whispered. "Let it out. Let all of that sweet, sweet darkness out."

Ganondorf's eyes blazed. "Don't mock me. Don't you dare."

"What are you going to do to me?" the sorcerer said. "How are you going to finish me off, Your Highness? Do you feel it? Do you feel the dam about to break?"

"Shut up," the prince spat. "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up."

"Well, if you don't kill me now, then let me go." His grin remained fixed. "Let me go find that Twili Princess. Let me show you how it's done."

Zelda gently pushed Saria out of the way, then walked up to stand right behind the prince. "Remember," she said. "Don't listen. Whatever you once were, you're not that person now. I do believe in you. I really do."

Vaati cackled. "Too late, little girl. Let those walls come tumbling down. See!"

For a moment, just for the briefest of heartbeats, Zelda thought Ganondorf's eyes had turned jet black. She blinked, and the vision was gone. Blood thundered in her chest. Golden sparks began to spit into life above Ganondorf's head. Something burned on the back of the prince's hand. It was a shape. A triangle. A golden triangle.

The air shimmered. The wind blew. Ganondorf pointed his sword straight up. A crackling sapphire orb began to form at the blade's tip. "Power…" he gasped. "So much power." Reality rippled, the pressure in the air plummeting. "And pain. So much pain inside."

Ganondorf snapped his head around to face Zelda. This time the black eyes were unmistakeable. "I'll make them hurt like they made me hurt. I'll make everyone hurt."

Zelda shrank back. Ganondorf loomed large in her vision. "No…"she gasped. Her mouth dried. "Please fight it. You're better than this."

The orb began to grow, the energy spitting and snapping at the air. Strands of Zelda's hair, bathed in a sapphire hue, began to whip this way and that in the wind. She thought she heard Saria cry her name, but somehow it just didn't matter. There was nothing that mattered, except the burnt stench of ozone in the air, and this crackling energy that wanted to swallow her whole. Zelda flinched, face turned aside as though expecting a blow –

A fist flew over her head and rammed into Ganondorf's jaw. The prince spun, magic orb dissipating in a flash. The shadow flew from his eyes, and they dropped back to normal instantly. He stumbled for a moment, arms unsteady, then tumbled to the ground in an unconscious heap.

Zelda stared, shocked.

She whirled around.

Link winked at her, grinning. "Tally-_ho_!"


	16. A Hero's Life for Me

**16. A Hero's Life for Me**

Zelda opened her mouth.

Link's palm sprang up. "No, no, wait. _Wait. _Right." He interlocked the fingers of both hands, stretched his arms, then cracked his knuckles. "Okay. Go ahead."

Zelda opened her mouth again.

"No! Hold on!" Link swept past her, coattails trailing the air behind him, and slid his sword free. Vaati rose to meet him, blade swinging. A sudden flash of lightning engulfed the sky, and the two warriors momentarily formed shadows framed against a brilliant white backdrop. Link skewed Vaati's strike aside, then cracked his free fist into the sorcerer's face. Vaati staggered back.

"You!" the sorcerer spat, wiping away a trickle of blood from his mouth. "Every Hyrule I saw in the portal, I saw you there, too!"

Link stepped back. "I have the same problem, mate. Everywhere I go, there I am."

"You…" the sorcerer spat, sparing the prince's prone form a glance. "My beautiful experiment. You've ruined it!"

"Heartbreaking, I'm sure," said Link. "Using a person as an experiment, though?" His voice darkened. "It's you that's ruined, pal."

The sorcerer's lips twitched. "I'd strike you down with every bolt in the sky," he whispered. "But I'm not without honour. Today, I'm going to reward you with a rarity: a death dealt by the very edge of my sword itself."

With a roar, Vaati lunged forward. A flurry of liquid movement followed. Link spun away, thrust, caught the sorcerer a shoulder shattering blow, twirled, thrust again – blocked – launched into the air, spinning, blades dancing in mid-air, landed, shoved Vaati back, then slipped as the sorcerer's sword curved around in an air-slicing arc.

Link whirled. Lightning flashed off of his blade as he deflected the sorcerer's swing. He followed through with a sharp elbow to Vaati's ribs. The sorcerer stumbled back toward an open crenel that yawned wide over the edge of the battlements. Rain sprayed into both men's eyes. The Hero sprung forward with a pinpoint thrust, but Vaati had enough of his wits about him to throw himself aside, broken shoulder hanging uselessly. Link's sword clanged against stone, ringing.

"Missed!" he said. "My old swordmaster must be spinning in his grave right now." His voice dropped. "Had he been dead, that is."

Sensing victory, Vaati lunged again with his healthy arm. Link curved backward, threw up his boot, and connected with the sorcerer's jaw, knocking him backward. The momentum sent Vaati stumbling towards the edge of the battlements. Eyes wide, one arm windmilling, the sorcerer began to fall. Link leapt forward, clutching for Vaati's sleeve – but too late. The sorcerer tumbled over and down into the waiting void of wind and rain.

A shadow fell over the Hero's face. He stood for a moment, as though composing his thoughts. Letting out a breath, he shook his head, and turned away. He frowned. Something had just changed in the air. The Kokiri were looking around as well. They had noticed it, too.

"Look," breathed Zelda. "It's the sun. The storm is ending!"

The wind dropped and the rain began to dissipate. A shaft of sunlight peeked out from the fast-dissolving clouds. Link sheathed his sword and looked back at the three Kokiri. He smiled.

"Saria!" he said, holding out his arms. "Give us a hug!"

Saria frowned and took an alarmed step backwards. "Who the heck are _you_?"

Unperturbed, Link turned to her companion. "Mido!"

The Kokiri smiled uncertainly. He attempted a small wave. Link strode up to the little engineer, smiling in return, then cuffed him around the ear.

"Ow!" cried Mido, hand flying to the side of his head. "What was that for?"

"Everything, mate. I blame you for everything."

"Why?!"

"Lose seven years of my life? Your fault. Moon crashing into the land of Termina? All you. How did an evil tyrant cross over in the Sacred Realm? Answer: M-I-D-O."

"_What?_"

Link took Zelda aside. She felt her chest swell with happiness. "I can't believe your back."

"Oh, you know," he said. "Things left to do. Places to see."

"But how?"

When he spoke, it was with a hushed voice. "It was the ocarina. Just as that explosion hit Dodongo's Cavern, it began to tingle. It does that when it wants the Song of Time played."

Zelda blinked. "Oh."

"And, you know what? I thought to myself: No. Not this time. This time I get to live my life a little." Sadness swam in Link's eyes. "And I was so tempted. I wanted so very, very much to see her again." A short breath left his lips. "But it wasn't me. Really, it wasn't. It all comes down to the choices we make. So, I played the Song of Time and – Tingle's your uncle, Ruto's your aunt – I showed up here." He sighed. "A hero's life for me, I suppose." Strength flowed back into his voice. "Now. Fill me in."

Zelda could only stare, the joy bubbling in her heart a reflection of the grin on her face. "I'm sorry…and I'm not sorry all at the same time. Does that make sense?"

"It does, actually."

A distant explosion snapped her back to herself. Zelda saw the giant Darknut in the distance, still battling away. She pointed. "We get rid of the Iron Knuckle over there and this whole thing will be over. The witch is still holed up inside the castle, though. She has another sorcerer, too."

Link clicked his tongue. "And what about what's-his-face and his talk about experiments? What experiment?"

"Really, Link, we don't have time," said Zelda, glancing at the Iron Knuckle again. "I'll explain later. I promise."

A groan made them both glance down. Prince Ganondorf stared up at them. His eyes widened when he saw Link. "What…what happened?"

"Oh, you're up, then?" said Link. "Funny time for a nap, no?" He knelt down beside the prince. His voice softened. "Do you remember anything? Anything at all?"

Ganondorf's brow furrowed. "I remember standing over the sorcerer, and then…" Confusion creased his features.

"Good man. You beat him, that's all you need to know." He patted the prince on his shoulder. "Well done. Give yourself a medal. Well. You _are_ the prince. You can do that sort of thing." Link stood up. "Now. Let's move. You want your castle back, no?"

The prince pulled himself shakily to his feet. "I thought you'd left."

"Funny thing, that," said Link. "I thought I'd left, too. But here I am. Making sacrifices. And there you are. Waiting to get hitched to the princess so you can make babies."

Zelda frowned. "Make…?"

"Don't ask."

"But-"

"_No._" Link held up a finger as Zelda's mouth snapped shut. His gaze swept around. "All of you. Follow me."

Saria ran up to Zelda and searched her face. "Do you know him?"

Zelda smiled. "Trust him." She looked up. Her gaze took in Mido as well. "Trust me, too."

Link grinned. "Sorted."

They ran, heading for a door set into a squat tower sitting on the far end of the battlement's path. Link shouldered the door open with a crack, then sped down the stairs that followed, friends in tow, boots clattering on the steps. Their momentum set gas lamps swinging, and caused the air to tug at the spitting torches. They reached the bottom and stopped. Four Darknuts, armour agleam, stared back at them.

Zelda's heart froze with fear yet again. It was a feeling she was getting quite sick of. She grasped for Saria's hand. Her friend looked at her, a question in her eyes. Zelda smiled. "I'm glad you're with me," she said, and Saria smiled back.

Steel whispered as Link's blade left its leather home. The prince moved forward, but the Hero of Time held him off with an outstretched arm. "Allow me."

The Darknuts clanked to attention as Link broke into a run. He homed in on the quartet, sword shimmering, then ploughed straight in. His first swing took off a head, and he followed the momentum through to plunge his sword into the next Darknut's chest. The force of the blow was such that it caught another Darknut standing behind the first. Both monsters shuddered, sparks flying, motors sizzling. Link wrenched the blade free as tendrils of smoke spiralled into the air.

This was the Hero of Time cut loose, Zelda realised. A thrill ran down her spine. She glanced up and caught the prince's awestruck expression. Noticing the attention, he looked down at her. Zelda grinned. "Legend."

She turned back to see Link and the last Darknut facing one another, swords at the ready. Licking her lips, her terror now dead, Zelda felt her skin tingle with anticipation. This was it. An epic battle was about to ensue, she was sure of it. One for the ages.

The Darknut looked at Link.

Link looked at the Darknut.

The Hero's soft voice carried the weight of a dark threat. "Run for the hills."

The Darknut looked again, hesitated, then turned and fled, metal boots echoing in his wake.

Link ran for the door and kicked it open in a rain of splinters. The others sprinted out after him. Scanning the area, the Hero's eyes squinted, looking left and right. He stopped, then pointed with his sword. "There!"

Ganondorf looked. "That airship?"

Link's mouth curved into an ever-familiar grin. "The airship! Gas, right?"

"Yes, but I don't see how-

"Come on!"

The Hero of Time slid across the still frozen moat, the others following a little more cautiously, then set off for where, in his world, the Temple of Time had once stood. Large chunks of debris – scorched alabaster wounds from the castle's ramparts – lay strewn across their path. Both Link and the prince cut a winding trail around while the Kokiri trio negotiated the obstructions in their own, acrobatic style.

Link kicked a quivering Tarantula leg out of his way as they entered Castle Town proper. The air shimmered from the heat of a dozen small fires smouldering here and there, black smoke trailing up into the sky. The Iron Knuckle stood off to one side, still batting at the last remaining Dragonwings that filled the air with their steam powered drone. Tarantulas swung from the Knuckle's torso, smashed, pilots dangling, and aglow with molten ash.

The prince looked around, grim-faced. "Ruined. All ruined."

Zelda's heart tightened as she saw the scorched and blackened remains of Hyrule Market. _It had been so peaceful once. In its own little way. _A sudden clanking made her look up. The Darknuts had noticed them, and were headed in their direction.

Link beckoned. "This way."

He led them down a narrow cobbled path that opened out into a large, artificial clearing. An airship hung there in silence, unmanned, and untouched by the carnage. Two heavy ropes on either side of the passenger carriage tethered it to the ground. Link opened the door to the cockpit and slid in, his companions following shortly.

"So," he said, eyes scanning the instruments. "How does this work, then?" He pulled at a large, black lever and the whole ship lurched to one side, throwing its occupants to the floor in a chorus of yells. One of the ropes creaked in distress.

Growling, the prince crawled over to the console, hauled himself up, and shut off the lever. The airship righted itself instantly. He glared at Link. "Don't you know how to fly this thing?"

"No," the Hero replied as he stood. "Do you?"

"Well," Ganondorf replied, looking flustered. "Not really. All I know is that it's on the same design as my steam engines."

A panicked yelp flew from Saria's lips. "Hurry!" she cried, pointing. "Look!"

Zelda snapped her eyes to one side, squinting through the refracted light pouring in through the windows. Through the shimmering haze of air, she spied a legion of Darknuts marching towards them.

Mido cleared his throat. Both the prince and the Hero shot him a look. "Um," the Kokiri said. "Steam engines, you said?"

Link sprang to his side. "You?" he said. "You know how to drive one?" When Mido nodded in reply, Link pushed him toward the console. "Look familiar?"

A loud metallic crash hit the door. The carriage shook. "The Darknuts!" Zelda cried. "They're here!"

Link grabbed Mido's shoulder. "Well?"

Dread lining his face, the little Kokiri engineer could only stare in mute terror from the door to the console and back again. The carriage shook again. A lamp hanging from the ceiling snapped and shattered against the floor.

"Mate, we don't have the time!"

"Um." Mido shrugged. He peered at the controls. "Yeah. It seems close enough."

"Aim it for the Iron Knuckle, alright?"

Mido glanced up. "What?"

"Just do as I say!"

The door blew off its hinges with a resounding boom. Saria and Zelda reacted first. Short-sword at the ready, Zelda leapt onto Saria's shoulders, somersaulted, then plunged her blade deep into the first Darknut's helm. It lurched backward, smoke and sparks spewing from its head. She hung there for a moment, legs swinging wildly, then pulled her sword free.

Zelda landed with a grin. "Ha!" she cried as Saria smothered her with a hug. "I got one! I actually got one!"

Link and the prince, swords drawn, pushed the rest of the monsters back and out of the carriage. Somewhere to the rear the engines chugged to life and the airship trembled in response. Propellers began to spin with a whine and steam hissed from the exhaust. Zelda and Saria followed the two men out, jumping from the door to the ground.

As Link plunged his blade deep into the last Darknut's chest, he looked up. "Someone get that rope."

"I'm on it!" Ganondorf ran over to the rope on the far side. With a trio of swipes from his sword, the line snapped free.

Link cut the other rope, then called out, "Mido! Jump, mate!"

A tinny voice floated back. "I can't!"

The airship slowly began to rise. The backwash sent earth, twigs and leaves scattering, and whipped their hair into a frenzy. Shading his eyes with one hand, Link glanced up at the ship. "Why not?"

There was a pause, then, "I'm afraid of heights!"

Link gaped. "But you live in the forest! You scamper up all those trees!"

"Mido!" screamed Zelda. "Jump! Just jump!"

The Kokiri engineer's ashen face peeked out from the open doorway. He clutched on for dear life. Ganondorf stood under the airship, arms outstretched. "I will catch you," he called. "Trust your prince."

Mido hesitated again. He nodded, then, with eyes scrunched shut, he tumbled out. Arms waving wildly, the Kokiri screamed all the way down. He ploughed into the prince with a grunt, and they both toppled to the ground, rolling.

Mido opened his eyes, chest heaving. "Alive…" he breathed. "I'm alive!"

Ganondorf smiled. "And unharmed."

Link broke into a run. "Let's finish this."

They stayed under the airship's shadow as it made its ponderous flight towards the monster Darknut. The Iron Knuckle looked up, neck gears creaking. It took a step forward. The earth shook and almost flung the party of heroes to the ground. It took another step, then reached out with its enormous hand.

Link, now far ahead of his companions, scooped a crossbow out of a dead Dragonwing's hand. He glanced at the arrow set inside and grinned. "Pitch perfect."

"Link!" Zelda called from behind. "There's more Darknuts coming!"

The Hero glanced ahead, saw the metal warriors approach. They were moving swiftly, this lot. Closing his eyes he drew peace from the Presence. He felt his spiking nerves relax, sensed the beat of his heart slowing. Flicking a switch on the modified crossbow, he heard the mechanism whirr into life. Somehow, he knew how to use one…or, at least, the assassin Link did.

The Darknuts were almost upon him now. They reached out for him, just as the Iron Knuckle's hand closed around part of the airship. Zelda screamed in the distance. Link struck the tip of the arrow against the ground. It sparked to life, setting the wooden shaft alight. Blank Darknut faces stared down at him. Cold metal fingers began sink into Link's chest. His arms were still free, though. And that was enough.

The Hero of Time took aim, one eye shut, ears ringing with the crossbow's whine. He pulled the trigger and the arrow shot free.

"Tally-_hoooooooooo_!"

The burning shaft spun as it tore through the air. Dragonwings dodged out of its fiery path. It punched through the side of the airship with but the barest whisper of noise.

Link looked up. The Darknuts looked up. Zelda and the others looked up.

Nothing happened for a moment – then the entire airship exploded in an immense, blazing mushroom, engulfing the Iron Knuckle whole. Link felt his ears pop from the roar of the blast. The Darknuts clattered to the ground, dead. Smouldering debris whistled through the sky. The shockwave hit, knocking Link to the ground. He watched, grinning, as fire and ash rained down upon Castle Town.

*

"No…"

Crazy Tracy rose slowly from the throne set deep inside Hyrule Castle. She was alone, except for the Mute standing nearby. The prince would have sat here once, but now she had come to stake her claim. Her _righteous_ claim.

From the oval windows set into the walls, the witch saw the fate of her Iron Knuckle. Born in violence and fire, it died the same away. Pity she was too busy smouldering with rage to appreciate the irony.

The hem of her immense gown spilled over the floor as she stalked toward the door. An idle thought flitted into her head: Perhaps she could have worn something a little more practical. After all, it had been hell running through Castle Town.

She snuffed out the distracting notions. She had more pressing matters now. That useless Vaati had clearly failed her and now, without the Knuckle or her Darknuts, she would be vulnerable. Very vulnerable.

And she didn't like that one bit.

If the Magical Circle - that bane of her existence that had never given her the recognition that she had so desperately sought – if they found and caught her now, there would only be one fate awaiting her.

_Execution. _Tracy shivered and pulled at the door.

It didn't budge.

Frowning, she tugged at it again. Still nothing happened.

A sharp breath whistled through her clenched teeth. Closing her eyes, she raised her arms. Her mind burrowed deep into the unseen patterns of the world, seeking out the hidden wells of her magic, ready to draw out exactly what she needed.

And still nothing happened.

"I wouldn't bother," said a voice. "You won't be able to."

Tracy's eyes flew open. Slowly she turned around. "You…" she said, addressing the 'Mute.' "You can't speak!"

"You'll find that I can do quite a few things, in fact," said the sorcerer. "Like blocking your magic and keeping you locked inside."

"You can't do that," the witch said. "You don't have the power."

"I do now."

Tracy felt her cheeks flush as rage bit at her. "Stop this. Let me out. Do you know who I am?" Her voice exploded. "_I am queen here!"_

"No. _I _am_._" The sorcerer's hood fell back, revealing, at first, glittering blue eyes, and then the thin, regal face of a blonde woman. Her voice now changed to meet that fact. "Or I was. In a different Hyrule."

The sleeves fell away from the queen's arms. One wrist, the witch noticed, ended in a leather cap. The queen looked up, sapphire eyes soft. "I don't know why, but the Triforce wouldn't let me act until this very moment. You wouldn't believe how much pain that caused me. Especially when I saw all the death and destruction you and that vile sorcerer were causing. Oh, I could exert myself a little – how do you think I teleported the prince so close to his hidden troops? But now…I'm completely free." Her eyes flashed. "And you are not."

Limbs coiling with energy, Crazy Tracy launched forward – and found herself rooted to the spot. She looked up helplessly. "What have you done?"

"You wanted the throne? You can have it," said the queen. "For what it's worth, since I have no authority here, but hark, and listen to my decree: You are exiled here for the rest of your life." She cocked her head to the side. "Plenty of time for you to think on your actions, I should hope. I'll come to check on you, don't worry. Perhaps if I see that you've changed…"

The witch screamed with fury, her voice echoing around the throne room. Pity filled the queen's eyes for a moment. Then she reached into her belt, and pulled free a capsule. She flung it to the ground and when the bright flash had dissipated, Crazy Tracy saw that the queen had gone.

*

_Link._

The Hero of Time's head snapped up at the sound of the voice. That oh-so-familiar voice. He stopped short, the others, not noticing, continuing to cross across the drawbridge to Hyrule Field. Only Zelda – little Zelda – stopped to turn to him.

"What is it?"she said.

A grin blossomed slowly on Link's face. His heart surged. "She's here!" he breathed. His coat flapped as he turned back towards Castle Town. "I don't believe it – she's here!"

Zelda's face creased in confusion. "Who? Who's here?"

_I'm outside the castle. Come to me._

Giddiness made the Hero sway on his feet. He felt like he was floating. "I can hear her in my head!"

Zelda blinked. "You hear voices in your head?" She shrugged. "That explains a lot, actually." The drawbridge shook as Link shot off back into the town. "Hey!"

Zelda turned to the others. They'd stopped now, waiting expectedly. Saria's face held a questioning look. "Go," said Zelda. "Go with the prince. I'll be there soon. I just need to do this."

Link heard her footsteps behind him, but he was beyond caring. He leapt over a pile of twisted, burning metal, skidded around a corner and then sprinted through the marble archway that led out toward the castle.

_Where are you, love? I can't see you. It's like a cucco went nuts around here. Well. Two cuccos. Well. Three at the most._

Amusement tickled the queen's voice. _What happened to you? You sound so different._

A touch of fear touched the Hero's heart with an icy kiss. _Later. I'll explain later. _

Link found himself in the short expanse between the town and the castle. His eyes tracked the horizon - then stopped. The queen stood ahead of him, dressed in a cloak that fluttered gently in the breeze. She smiled.

Link swallowed. "How-?"

The queen held up a finger to her lips. "Shhh," she said. "Later."

A patter of boots made Link turn around. Little Zelda had caught up to him. She looked up, saw the queen, and gasped. The queen arched an eyebrow in return.

Link had no time for explanations. None of them did, clearly. He marvelled at the strange feeling bubbling in his soul. It took him a moment to realise what it was. _Happiness. It's happiness. _Gratitude partnered it, and the Presence seemed to approve of both.

Link ran towards his queen, heart thudding. Clouds drifted in a clear blue sky now, the sun bathing them in a shaft of light. The queen held out her arms. Link swept her up in his, twirling her around and around and around, laughing together as their hearts sang.

His lips brushed her forehead and she nestled in comfortably on his chest. "I haven't seen you in so long," he said.

Queen Zelda smiled. "Trying to get rid of me, eh?"

"Never."

Link closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he felt his body sag ever-so-slightly. Heart and soul satiated, his body had responded with relief.

A cough made the reunited couple look down. Little Zelda gazed up, a wry expression on her face. "Great," she said, folding her arms. "Domestic."

And, at that, both the Hero of Time and the once Queen of Hyrule could only laugh.


	17. Epilogue

**17. Epilogue: Tally-ho!**

"They're waiting for us down there, you know." The queen glanced down the entire length of the grassy hill, saw their companions milling about at its base. Metal glinted off of swords and armour, and she heard the faint touch of voices carry in the air. In the distance, she saw a field of tents snapping in the wind, the temporary home of the people of Castle Town.

"Let them wait, love," Link replied. A gentle breeze tugged at their clothes as they watched the sun slowly descend. They saw Castle Town spread out below them, saw strange steam-chugging cranes looming all over the place, lifting and lowering as they tried to clear the debris.

The queen turned back to the Hero. "So this is you now, then?" she asked. "With the strange speech patterns and everything?"

Anxiety flickered over Link's features. "You don't like it?"

She smiled, eager to soothe his distress. "It'll just take a little getting used to, that's all."

Link smiled as well. "You got used to all my other changes, didn't you?"

"That I did."

He turned to her, eyes wide. "So, are you going to tell me, then?" he asked. "About how came to be here?"

The queen shrugged. "The same way you got here, I suppose," she replied. "Except with me, I was allowed to see what became of our Hyrule. The Triforce – or whatever – left substitutes of us in our place. They both died in battle. Our people buried us – _them_ - with our respective shards of the Triforce. I watched it all, trapped in some sort of magic bubble. Then I was brought here." A sigh whistled through her lips. "I think that means we're meant to stay in this world. Without our friends, our people –"

"But with each other."

Queen Zelda smiled. "But with each other."

Link took her single hand. "There was a portal in Death Mountain. Weird, no? I don't know how it got there, but there it was. Maybe there are others."

"Maybe." She didn't sound too convinced.

"And then what, love?" he said. The breeze ruffled his hair. "You were here in this Hyrule, but you never sought me out?"

"I couldn't," she replied, sadness weighing heavy in her voice. "I just had a vague idea of what was going on, and that I needed to stay close to the witch. Until the time was right, that is." She squeezed his hand. "But look at you. I'm so proud. You decided to be merciful and forgiving for once, didn't you?"

The corner of Link's mouth tugged upward. "Well. Took a lot of convincing. But, yes, I was tired of fighting all the time. Thought I'd give old Ganondorf a chance."

"So you trust him now, then?"

"About as far as I can throw him. With one hand tied behind my back. And a rabid cucco hanging on for dear life to my-"

"_Right._" The queen nodded sagely. "And…?"

"_And _he still needs someone to keep an eye on him," Link replied. "He's not completely peachy yet, if you know what I mean. Zelda – the other Zelda – told me some stuff about him that would scare you more than an army of Tingle-worshipping cuccos."

"Ah ha," the queen replied, laughing quietly. "But he's a hero now in this world. Thanks to you. The people think he killed Vaati."

"Funny how that works. He'd done all that good already, but he didn't become a hero until a big whopper of a battle." The merriment left Link's voice as his mouth set in a thin line. "They didn't find the sorcerer's body, did they?"

"No," she replied. "They didn't. He could have hit the moat and died, I suppose."

"He could have. But more than likely, he's going to be back one day, no?"

"Unfortunately." The queen gazed over at the moat. It twinkled under the glare of the sun. "The ice around the castle was still intact. So nothing broke through. No corpse. Nothing."

"Doesn't work all the time, does it?" Link said. "Having mercy. Some dogs just need to be put down. Like Vaati. Like the witch. Only because they'll bite you if you don't."

"Sad," she replied. "And sadly true."

A weary sigh overtook him. "What a world…"

"But don't you give up," the queen said, her voice strengthening. "Like I said: I'm proud of you. You should look at more people that way."

"I'll try."

A wistful look overtook the elder Zelda's face. "A new world. One where I'm not a queen." She let her fingers slip free from Link's and brought her hand to rest flat on her cloaked tunic. "It feels so strange. I don't know what to do with myself."

"How about that," Link said, winking. "A whole new adventure, no?"

"You can talk," she replied. "You were the Prince of the Freelander Emirate once."

The sound of running feet made them turn around. Little Zelda stopped in front of them, panting. Her eyes flicked over to the queen and, as per usual, her face ran through myriad different emotions. The queen smiled at her. After all, it was strange for her, too.

The Kokiri turned to the Hero of Time. "Link," she breathed. "It's the prince. He's requesting your presence."

"Why?" Link replied, eyebrow arched. "Needs his boots lacing, does he?"

Little Zelda folded her arms, frowning in mock-anger. "You _know_ why," she said. "He wants an answer."

Link sighed. "Better get this over and done with, then. Come on." The three of them began their descent down the hill. The Kokiri trotted ahead, whistling a tune. Link tapped her on her shoulder. "What's with you, anyway? You're very chirpy."

Little Zelda grinned. "I'm going home! All of us are – Saria, Mido and me. Well, as soon as they come back from one of the healers, that is. The prince and princess are going to accompany us personally. And you know what? I'm looking forward to it. I don't care that I don't have a fairy. You know why?" She skipped around, walking backward so that she could face them. "Because I have you."

Link's eyes narrowed. "Are you calling me a fairy?"

_Be nice. _The queen's mental voice carried a hint of her laughter with it.

The Hero cleared his throat. "We'll check in with you. From time to time. Would you like that, love?"

Little Zelda grinned. "I'd love it!" He looked at them both. "So. You can talk to each other in your heads? How's that work, then?"

"It's a long story," the queen replied. "But one I'd be more than happy to tell."

Little Zelda gave her a shy smile. "I'd like that, too."

Midna met them as they reached the foot of the hill. Out of all of them, the princess had given the most from her time to try and comfort the people of Castle Town, walking from one family to the next, speaking soothing words or grinding healing herbs. Link and little Zelda had known she'd had a good heart, but now it seemed she was completely transformed, living only to give help. Of course, that meant that Ganondorf was now all the more enamoured with her. They'd even set the date of the wedding, despite the repairs that needed to be done to both castle and town.

Prince Ganondorf approached them now. He cast a wary eye towards Queen Zelda. Despite the fact that Link and the queen had tried to explain things as much as they could, the prince still seemed a little unsettled by the fact of her royalty. Not that it held any weight here in this Hyrule, but he still seemed rattled nonetheless.

The prince shifted his attention to Link. "So," he said. "What's the word? Are you going to accept or not?"

"To be your new Captain-of-the-Guards? _Well,_" Link stroked his chin, "Oh, go on, then."

Ganondorf grinned. "Excellent!" He slapped the Hero on his shoulder. "And - dare I ask – what name are you going to assign to your troop?"

"Oh, you're going to love this." Link looked around, taking everyone in with his eyes. "All of you are. Here we go. Are we listening? Yes?" He licked his lips, then theatrically held up his hand, bouncing it along in time with each word. "Captain Link and – wait for it, wait for it – Captain Link and the _Cucco Revenge Squad_. How about that, eh? Eh?"

The prince pursed his lips. "I think we should discuss this further at a later date."

Link glanced around, a hurt expression on his face. "What? What?!"

_Don't worry, _the queen said in his head. _I think it's adorable._

"Your Majesty!" A young page ran toward them, a scroll clutched in his hand "Your Majesty! Urgent news!"

Ganondorf spun on his heel. "What is it, squire?"

The page skidded to a halt, gasping for breath. "We've just…had word…from up in the North. There's some sort of disturbance going…on there. Magical creatures rampaging, strange lights in the sky." His eyes widened. "And the wind…the wind has gone haywire…"

Ganondorf looked up, alarmed. Midna slid to his side and took his hand.

Little Zelda blinked. "Vaati?"

Queen Zelda shrugged in response. "Or someone similar."

"Bad news whoever he is," Midna added.

The prince flicked a glance toward Link. "Captain? If you would?"

The Hero of Time stepped forward, the two Zeldas flanking him, the prince and princess just behind. His forest-green coat billowed in the wind. "What are we waiting for?" he cried, raising his sword to the sky. "_Tally-hoooooooooooo_!"

_Finis_

**A/N: **Wow, I actually finished it. After all those aborted (and now deleted) fics in the past five years, it was nice to get one done again. I think I needed that big break to recharge, to be honest.

I had a number of intentions for this fic. I wanted to mix the tone from 'The Apprentice' and 'Rebel Assassin' with the tone from 'Shadow Lord's Bane' and see if it would work. I wanted to do the whole 'reboot the universe' thing that's so popular in other media at the moment. Most of all, after getting a bit tired of reading fantasy doorstoppers, I wanted to write an epic-type tale that wasn't a bloated thirty-chapter plus story. I'd actually intended it to be twelve chapters and fifty-thousand words, so I sort of went over on that one.

Hope you all enjoyed it! Thank you for reviewing, especially all you repeat reviewers – you know who you are! Please let me know your final thoughts.

And, yes, as some reviewers noticed, the good Doctor was one of the influences for this story.

Hmm…

There's something not quite right…

Something missing…

Something…

Oh yeah!

"Right. This is the last time I write fanfiction. Really. No more. That's it. Over. Finished. Kaput. Gone."

Ah, yes. It wouldn't be a Split Infinitive story without one of those, would it?

(EDIT: That last bit was meant to be joke mocking all the times I said I'd quit. Since people are taking it seriously in their reviews, I had to add this explanation. If a story's worth doing, then I'll do it).

Of course, now that I've set up this new universe, it might be fun to come back and play in it again one day, hmm…?

See ya!

Split


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